BUCEPHALUS CAPENSIS. 



rally without the yellow variegations, and are everywhere of the same tint as 

 the edges of those which are situated nearer to the base of the tail. Eyes, 

 shining brown. In some specimens of this variety very faint remains of 

 yellow markings are occasionally to be seen upon the scales of the back and 

 sides, clearly indicating that had they been secured in an early stage of their 

 existence, they would have required to have been classed with the variety 

 next to be described. 



Form, &c. — Head distinct from the neck ; body moderately slender and 

 fusiform, the thickest part rather nearer to the head than the tip of the tail ; 

 form subcylindrical, the belly flattened and very broad ; tail long, tapered, and 

 pointed, its figure somewhat cylindrical, the under surface slightly flattened. 

 The head is short, rather clumsy, and distinctly quadrangular, its breadth 

 and height nearly equal ; the upper surface is slightly convex, the sides 

 almost perpendicular, with a slight longitudinal concavity in front of the eyes ; 

 the nose is obtuse, almost truncated ; the lips are coated, each with a row of 

 large quadrangular scales. The mouth is armed with six rows of teeth, and 

 the two or three last teeth of each maxillary row are much larger than any of 

 the others, and grooved throughout their whole length. They point almost 

 directly backwards, and are either firmly fixed upon the maxillary bones or 

 slightly moveable, and are in a great measure concealed by the pulpy sheath, 

 with which they are encircled. Within this sheath there are also a number of 

 recumbent fangs, evidently destined to supply such of the fixed ones as 

 may from time to time disappear. All the rest of the teeth are small, cylin- 

 drical, recurved, and pointed. The salivary* and lachrymal glands are 

 moderately large. The eyes are very large, the corneae slightly con- 

 vex, and the pupils circular. The nostrils are situated towards the middle 

 of the nasal plates, nearly circular, and opening outwards and backwards. 

 The plates covering the upper surface of the head are ten in number; the 

 rostral one is rather small, subtriangular, or indistinctly five-sided, its apex 

 lies between the anterior frontal plates, and its base forms the margin of the 

 upper lip, and is indented with a deep crescent-shaped emargination ; the 

 anterior frontal plates are four-sided, the hinder and outer sides longest ; the 

 posterior frontal plates considerably larger than the anterior ones and of an 

 irregular quadrangular shape, the irregularity depends principally upon the 

 elongation of the anterior and outer angle of each scale which extends down- 



• M. Duvernoy is of opinion (Anna!, de Scienc. Nat. torn. 26. p. 140.) that the anterior portion only of 

 the glandular structure which is found under the integuments of the upper lip is for the secretion of saliva : 

 the posterior portion, he thinks, is distinct from the anterior, and is adapted for the secretion of poison. 

 We have tried, hut in vain, to discover grounds for entertaining a like opinion. 



