550 A. Alcock & F. Finn — Afghan-Baluch Ueptilia. [No. 4-, 



It is suggested that the formation of these salts may, possibly, be 

 represented by the following equations : — 



(1) CoC0 3 + 2Br 2 + 6KHC0 3 = K 2 Co0 4 +7C0 2 + 4KBr + 3H 2 0. 



(2) (a) 6XiC0 3 + 2CH 3 CO.OXa + 3Br 2 = Na 2 Xi/J 6 + 3XiBr 2 + 



(CH 3 CO.O) 2 Ni+6C0 2 . 

 (6) Na 2 Xi 2 6 + (CH 3 CO.O) 2 Xi = 3Xi0 2 + 2CH 3 CO-OXa. 

 It has been said above, that the nickel solution decomposes on 

 boiling, a part only of the nickel coming down, leaving a neutral solu- 

 tion of apple-green colour. 



An Account of the Ueptilia collected by Dr. F. P. Maynard, Captain A. IT. 

 McMahon, CLE., and the Members of the Afghan- Bo.luch Boundary 

 Commission of 1896. — By A. Alcock, M.B., O.M.Z.S., Superintendent 

 of the Indian Museum, and F. Finn, B.A., F.Z.S., Deputy Superinten- 

 dent of the Indian Museum. 



Plates XI-XV. 



[Received 10th September, 1896; Read 2nd December, 1896.] 



The Reptiles mentioned in this paper were collected by the Mem- 

 bers of the Afghan-Baluch Boundary Commission, in the early part of the 

 present year, in the course of the demarcation of the boundary-line between 

 Baluchistan and Afghanistan. They include several extremely rare, and 

 two new, species of Lizards and two new snakes — a Lytorhynchus, and 

 a Viper which forms the type of a new genus. 



The nature of the country in which they were collected is briefly 

 described in the following introductory note by Dr. F. P. Maynard, I.M.S., 

 who has also contributed field notes on the habits, colouration, etc., of 

 the several species. 



All Dr. Maynard's notes are enclosed between square brackets. 



[ 1. Note on the Physical Features of the country traversed by the Com- 

 mission. — By Dr. F. P. Maynard, I. M.S.] 

 [ Spintijha, where the collecting began, is 6050 feet above sea level, 

 and is situated among the Khwaja Amran mountains south of Chauian. 

 There is here what is stated to be an earthquake crack running north- 

 east to south-west. It runs at right angles to the natural drainage of 

 the country, and is supposed to have opened and partially closed within 

 the memory of man. Captain McMahon had previously traced it as far 

 north as Murgha Chaman, and on this mission it was traced south 

 nearly as far as Nushki, a total length of about 100 miles. The rocks 

 on its western side are igneous and on its eastern sedimentary. 



