344 COLTJBEID^. 



Hormonotus modestus, Giinth. Ann. ^ Mag. N. H. (3) ix. 1862, p. 53 ; 



Bouleng. Ann. ^ Mag. N. H. (6) viii. 1891, p. 346. 

 Heterolepis glaber, Jan, Eletico, p. 98 (1863), and Icon. 06n. 36, 



pi. ri. flg. 4 (1870) ; F. Mull. Verh. nat. Ges. Basel, vii. 1885, 



p. 686; Mocquar/J, Bull. Soc. Philom. (7) xi. 1887, p. 18. 

 Boodon (Lamprophis) modestus, Peters, Mon. Bed. Ac. 1876, 



p. 200. 

 (Alopecion) vossii, Fischer, Jahrh. Hamb. Wiss. Anst. v. 1888, 



p. 3, pi. i. fig. 1. 



Hostral twice as broad as deep, scarcely visible from above ; iu- 

 ternasals as long as broad, shorter than the prsefrontals ; frontal 

 twice as long as broad, as long as or a little longer than its distance 

 from the end of the snout, as long as the parietals ; loreal twice as 

 long as deep ; one prse- and two or three postoculars : temporals 

 2 + 3; eight upper labials, third, fourth, and fifth, or fourth and 

 fifth, entering the eye ; four or five lower labials in contact with 

 the anterior chin-shields, which are longer than the posterior. 

 Scales in 15 rows, those of the middle row hexagonal and nearly as 

 broad as long. Ventrals 22 1-244 ; aual entire ; subcaudals 81-99. 

 Uniform pale brown or fulvous above, white beneath : some or all 

 of the upper labials with a dark brown spot. 



Total length 730 millim. ; tail 150. 



West Africa, from the Gold Coast to the Gaboon. 



A. Two labials entering the eye; two postoculars. 



a. 2 (V. 232 ; C. 94). W. Africa. J. C. Salmon, Es^. [P.]. 



B. Three labials entering the eye ; three postoculars. 



b. d (V. 236 ; C. 97). Fernando Po. Dr. A. Gilnther [P.], 



c. d" (V. 244; 0. 97). Cameroons. Dr. J. G. Fischer. (Type 



of Boodon vossii.) 



d. 5 (V. 231 ; 0. 86). W. Africa. 



47. SIMOCEPHALUS. 



Heterolepis (non Nees). Smith, III. Zool. 8. Afr., Rept. (1847) ; Bum. 



Sr Bibr. Erp. Qin. vii. p. 419 (18541 ; Gunth. Ann. & Mao. N. H. 



(3) xii. 1863, p. 359. 

 Simocephalus, Gimth. Cat. Col. Sn. p. 194 (1858). 

 Simocephalus, part., Giinth. Ann. &■ Mag. N. H. (3) xii. 1863, 



p. 369. 

 Heterolepis, part., Jan, Elenco sist. Ofid. p. 94 (1863) ; Mocquard, 



Bull. Soc. Philom. (7) xi. 1887, p. 8. 



Maxillary and dentary bones angularly bent inwards anteriorly ; 

 the 8 or 9 anterior maxillary teeth increasing in size and followed 

 after an interval by 15 to 28 very small teeth ; anterior mandi- 

 bular teeth increasing in size, the eighth or ninth largest. Head 

 very distinct from neck, much depressed ; eye moderate or small, 

 with vertically elliptic pupil ; nostril very large. Body cylindrical ; 

 scales keeled, without pits, in 15 or 17 rows, those of the middle 



