1869.] Descriptions of two new species of Reptiles. 197 



snout to end of tail, 2 feet, 1 inch. Length of tail 3| inches. Circum- 

 ference of body, at thickest part, 2J inches. Length of head, from 

 end of snout to nape, fth of an inch. Greatest breadth of head across, 

 ■fth of an inch. 



Description.* — Body thick, for the size of the snake. Head thick, 

 broad, somewhat Cerberine in appearance, and distinct from the neck. 

 Tail short, rather quickly but evenly tapering, and slightly compress- 

 ed laterally, so as to form a sort of ridge on the back of that part. 



Plates on top of head (posterior to nasals, and above eye) large 

 posteriorly, and small anteriorly, 

 2 I I 



2 I I 



and arranged as 3 or | | | . Anterior frontal plates 2, triangular, 



with the two outer sides rounded. Posterior-frontal plates of a 

 curved, diagonally elongated, or oblong, irregular pentagonal shape, 

 situated (with regard to their greater axis) in a somewhat diagonal 

 position to the central longitudinal line that divides the frontal 

 plates in the midst. The anterior side of these post-frontal plates 

 is concave. Vertical plate pentagonal, longer than broad, shaped 

 like an elongated heraldic shield of which the lower point of 

 the shield runs posteriorly, for about one quarter distance, be- 

 tween the two occipitals. Supraciliary plates (one over each eye) 

 smaller than the vertical, of a sub-conic form, or semi-elliptical 

 shape, curved over the eye, and truncated posteriorly, of which 

 the broad base abuts posteriorly, against the advance of the two large 

 occipital plates. These are very large, each an irregular sided hexagon 

 (the two posterior sides of the irregular hexagon being very small, 

 the other sides long, — especially the outer). No plates towards the 

 nape ; the nape being covered with multi-angular, pentagonal, quaclri- 



* This interesting new species was pointed out to the author of this paper by 

 Dr. T. C. Jerdon who, as stated in the Proceedings of this Society for March, 

 p. 105, contemplated to describe the same in his forthcoming work on the " Rep- 

 tiles of India," but who was so courteous as to disclaim the priority of publica- 

 tion,when requested for his opinion on the matter. — The snake principally differs 

 from Ferania by its round pupil, and is in this respect one of the rare instances 

 recorded among the HoMALOPSiDiE, most of which have a narrow vertical pupil 

 of the eye. The dentition would also appear to be peculiar, but on this point 

 our information is as yet very deficient regarding a large number of our Indian 

 snakes. (Ed.). 



