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3. Description of a New Genus of Boid^e from Old Ca- 

 labar, and a List of W. African Reptiles. By Dr 

 J. E. Gray, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S., Pres. Ent. Soc, etc. 



(Reptilia, PI. XIV.) 



Mr. Logan kindly sent to me for examination a number of Snakes 

 and other reptiles which had been collected by the missionaries in 

 Old Calabar. 



Among several very interesting species I observed a new genus of 

 the family Boidce, which I have great pleasure in laying before the 

 Society, more especially as it appears to be the indication of a new 

 tribe in that curious family. 



This animal belongs to the second section of the family, which is 

 thus characterized : — 



ii. Tail very short, not, or only very slightly, prehensile. Head 

 indistinct, short. 



It is entirely distinct from the tribes Cylindrophina, Carinina, 

 and Tortricina, and therefore I propose to form for it a tribe (Cala- 

 bariina) by itself, having the same characters as the genus. 



Calabaria. 



Head small, short, rounded in front, the same size as the body. 

 Muzzle depressed, rounded ; labial shields flat, 5^5 ; the hinder 

 small, front moderate ; rostral shield high, large, triangular ; frontal 

 shields three pairs, band-like, subsimilar, followed by a band-like 

 shield continued from side to side, which has behind it a small sub- 

 trigonal shield on each side, with a central large triangular shield 

 between them on the crown. Eyes surrounded by scales on the 

 upper edges of the upper labial shields and the outer edges of 

 the fourth and fifth frontal plates, and with one ocular shield in front 

 and two smaller behind the eyes ; loreal shield single, small. Pupil 

 circular. Nostril lateral, between two small nasal shields. Body 

 cylindrical. Scales broad, triangular, polished, rather sunken and 

 subrugose in the centre. Ventral shields very numerous, band-like, 

 transverse, about half as wide as the diameter of the body. Vent 

 small, with a single preanal shield. Spurs large, distinct. Tail 

 short, as thick as the body, blunt and rounded at the end. Sub- 

 caudal shields broad, band-like, one-rowed like the ventral shields. 



I think it is probable, when some other specimens have been exa- 

 mined, that the band-like shield extending across from the upper 

 edge of each eye will be found to be composed of three shields, like 

 the band behind it, which are here united into one band ; and then 

 the head-shields will lie thus : — three pair of band-like frontal, two 

 smaller triangular superciliary shields over each eye, having in the 

 middle between them two triangular parietal shields. 



