45. LYCOPHIDITJM. 339 



4. Lycophidium semiannulis. 



Lycophidion semiannulis, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1854, p. 622 ; 

 Giinth. Cat. p. 107 (18o8) ; Peters, Reise n. Mossaynb. iii. p. 135, 

 pi. xvi. fig. 2 (1882). 



Appears to agree very closely with L. capense, but the ventrals 

 are much fewer, viz. 14(j. Suboauclals 30. (ireyish blue or 

 purplish above, with irregular black cross bars ; snout and sides of 

 head yellowish, speckled with black ; blackish brown beneath, the 

 shields edged with yellowish. 



Total length 260 millim. ; tail 38. 



Tette, Mozambique. 



5. Lycophidium capense. 



Lycodon capensis. Smith, S. Afr. Qiiart. Journ. (1) no. 5, 1831, 



p. 18, and III. Zool. S. Afr., Rept. pi. v. (1838). 

 horstokii, part., Schleg. Phys. Serp. ii. p. Ill, pi. iv. figs. 10 & 



11 (18.37). 

 Ijycophidium horstokii, Dum. Sf Bibr. vii. p. 412 (1854). 

 Lycophidiou horstockii, part., Gimth. Cat. p. 197 (1858), and Ann. 



> Mag. N. H. (4) i. 1868, p. 427. 

 capense, A. Dum. Arch, dii Mus. x. 1859, p. 197 ; Peters, 



Reise n. Mossamb. iii. p. 134 (1882). 

 Lycophidium capense, mut. multimaculata, Boetig. Ber. Senck. Ges. 



1888, p. 67. 



Diameter of the eye greater than its distance from the mouth. 

 Rostral twice as broad as deep, just visible from above ; internasals 

 about as large as the nasals ; praefrontals as long as broad or a little 

 longer ; frontal as long as broad or a little longer, a little shorter 

 than its distance from the end of the snout, much shorter than the 

 parietals ; loreal longer than deep ; prseocular as large as or a little 

 larger than the supraocular, broadly in contact with the frontal ; 

 two postoculars, both in contact with the parietal ; temporals 1 + 2 ; 

 eight upper labials, third, fourth, and fifth entering the eye, seventh 

 largest ; chin-shields very small, the anterior in contact with four 

 or live lower labials. Scales in 17 rows. Ventrals 164-192 ; anal 

 entire ; subcaudals 30-45. Brown, purplish, or olive above ; sides 

 of head speckled or vermiculate with whitish. 



Total length 450 millim. ; tail 45. 



Africa south of the Equator. 



A. Brown or dark purple above, the lateral scales tipped with 

 whitish ; lower parts whitish. (L. capense, Smith.) 



a. $ (V. 188; 0.39). Cape of Good Hope. 



b f? (V. 180 ; C. 38). Port Elizabeth. J. P. M. Weale, Esq. 



[P.]. 



c. 2 (V. 189 ; 0. 32). Port EHzabeth. J. M. Leslie, Esq 



[P.]. 



d. 2 (V. 190 ; 0. 30). Port Natal. Mr. T. Ayres [P.]. 



e. Yg. (V. 179; C. 45). Zanzibar. Sir 'J. Kirk [C;]. 



z 2 



