344 THE EEPTILES OF EGYPT. 
but in one from the first-mentioned locality the so-called supranasal is in contact with 
the rostral, but the nasal is excluded by two small scales, and in one from Maskat the 
nasal is broadly in contact with the rostral as in E. carinatus. In E. coloratus, as in 
the latter species, the arrangement of the plates defining the rostral is very varied. In 
some the single nasal is partially divided by three imperfect sutures, and the supranasal 
occasionally divides, or may be amalgamated with, the scales that usually separate it 
from the rostral. The supraocular is absent in vipers referred to E. coloratus, but 
it is sometimes much reduced in size in E. carinatus, or is even entirely absent. The 
differences that exist between E. coloratus and E. carinatus are so trifling that they 
do not appear to merit more than variety rank. 
