462 DR. A. GUNTHER ON AMPHISB^NIANS AND [Apr. 5, 



posed of two scutes ; nostril inferior ; prseocular above the third and 

 fourth labials ; a small ocular, with the eye very indistinct ; an 

 infraocular between the ocular and fifth labial. Five upper labials. 

 Temporals small, in two transverse series. Mentale much longer 

 than broad; three lower labials ; gulars small. No enlarged sternal 

 scutes. Prseanal scutes very narrow, elongate, in four pairs. Two 

 pairs of praeaual pores. Lateral line none. Extremity of the tail 

 depressed. 



Pachycat.amus brevis, sp. n. 



One verticillus consists of 48 scutes. Upper parts slate-coloured, 

 lower white. 



This must be a common species, as many specimens were col- 

 lected. One of the largest is 7^ inches long, the tail being | inch. 

 Probably the species remains within these dinoensions. 



B. Ophidia. 



1. Typhlops, sp. 



This specimen is young, and too small for identification. 



DiTYPOPHis (g. n. Coronellid,). 



Body stout, rounded, covered with smooth scales. Head de- 

 pressed, not very distinct from neck. Eye rather small, with 

 vertical pupil. One loreal ; two anterior and two posterior oculars ; 

 nasal undivided above, but divided below the nostril. Subcaudals 

 undivided. Posterior maxillary tooth longest, grooved. 



This Coronelline Snake is evidently allied to Tachymenis, but has 

 several characters in common with Dipsadoboa. From the former it 

 is distinguished by its entire subcaudal shields, from the latter by 

 its much stouter habit. 



2. DiTYPOPHis vivAX, sp. u. (Plate XL.) 



At the first glance this Snake reminds us of Tachymenis vivax, 

 especially with regard to the form of the head ; but it is still stouter 

 than that species. The posterior and anterior frontals are subequal 

 in size ; the superciliaries large, nearly the size of the vertical ; the 

 occipitals as long as the vertical and posterior frontals together. 

 The upper prseocular is in contact with the vertical ; the lower is 

 much smaller, and, in fact, a detached portion of the third upper 

 labial. Temporals scale-like, 2-\-'6 or 4. Eight upper labials, the 

 fourth and filth entering the orbit. Four lower labials in contact 

 with the anterior chin-shields. 



Scales in 21 series, those of the median series not differing in size 

 from the others. Ventral shields 1 50 ; anal entire ; subcaudals 39. 



The coloration is reddish sandy, with indistinct darker cloudy spots 

 on the back ; lower parts whitish. In a dry sandy locality the colour 

 of this Snake must so much assimilate to that of its surroundings 

 as to render the animal nearly invisible. 



