1881.] 



MR. W. T. BL.VNFORD ON PERSIAN REPTILES. 



681 



gate. Rostral broader than high. Nasals longer than broad and 

 about half as long again as the frontals. Vertical nearly pentagonal, 

 posterior angle rather less than a right angle. Each occipital almost 

 once and a half the length of the vertical. The third and 

 fourth labials are below the orbit ; one prseocular and one or two 

 postoculars, there being two on one side and one on the other ; two 

 are probably normal, as the single shield is partly divided. Two 



a Fig. 3. b 



Head of Hydrophis temporalis. 



very large temporals along the outer margin of each occipital ; the 

 anterior temporal is higher than broad, and descends nearly or quite 

 to the gape. Two pairs of subequal chin-shields in contact with 

 each other. 



Scales slightly imbricate on neck, very slightly on body, not im- 

 bricate on upper portion behind ; except on the anterior part of the 



Scales of Hydrophis temporalis, near the middle of the body. 



neck, each has behind the middle of its disk a minute tubercle. 

 On the neck the scales are elongate, and they are longer than broad 

 to considerably behind the middle of the body. Twenty-nine scales 

 Proc. Zool. Soc— 1881, No. XLIV. 44 



