251 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SNAKE OF THE GENUS 

 ZAMENIS FROM PERSIA. 



BY 



G. A. BouLENGER, LL.D., D.Sc, F.R.S. 



Zamenis hotsoni. 



Snout moderately prominent, obtuse. Eye moderately large. 

 Rostral broader than deep, the portion visible from above measuring 

 one-fourth or one-third its distance from the frontal ; internasals as 

 long as or a little shorter than the prtefrontals ; frontal broader than 

 the supraocular, once and a half to once and two-thirds as long as 

 broad, longer than its distance from the end of the snout, shorter 

 than the parietals ; loreal as long as deep ; one praeocular, not 

 reaching the frontal, with a subocular below it ; two postoculars ; 

 temporals 1 + 2 ; seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the 

 eye, fourth in contact with the anterior tempo^-al ; four lower 

 labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields ; posterior chin- 

 shields as long as or a little longer than. the anterior, separated from 

 each other by scales. Scales smooth, with a single apical pit, in 17 

 rows. Ventrals not angulate laterally, 196; anai divided; sub- 

 caudals 90. Pale fawn-colour or greyish above, each scale, except 

 the outermost, wiih a black central shaft ; head without markings ; 

 upper lip, pr£e-and postoculars, outer row of scales, and lower parts 

 yellowish white. 



Two specimejis, the larger measuring about 500 millim. from 

 Shiraz, presented by Major J. E. B.Hotson. 



Distinguished from Z. gemonensis and Z. daliUi bj^ the 

 smaller eye ; from the former by the single scale-pits, from the 

 latter by the number of rows of scales on the body and the less 

 slender form, 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW LAND-TORTOISE 

 FROM NORTHERN PERSIA. 



BY 



G. A. BouLENGER, LL.D., D. Sc, F.R.S. 

 Testudo huxtoni, sp. n. 



Shell moderately convex, a little more than twice as long as deep 

 the posterior border expanded, slightly reverted and feebly serrated. 

 Nuchal shield 3 times as long as broad ; supracaudal completely 

 divided ; 1 1 marginals on each side ; vertebrals all broader than 

 long, the third once and a half as long as broad and as broad as the 

 corresponding costal. Plastron large, the lobes much shorter than the 



