47. SIMOCEPHALTJS. 345 



rows enlarged and bicarinate ; ventrals with a strong lateral keel. 

 Tail moderate ; subcaudals in two rows. Hj'papophyses developed 

 throughout the vertebral column. 

 Tropical and South Africa. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. Frontal but slightly shorter than the parietals ; ventrals 203- 

 241 ; subcaudals 45-61 1 . eapensis, p. 346. 



II. Frontal much shorter than the parietals. 



A. Two postoculars ; ventrals 240 or more. 



Three labials entering the eye ; sub- 

 caudals 60-70 2. guirali, p. 346. 



Two labials entering the eye ; sub- 

 caudals 75-124 3. poensis, p. 346. 



B. One postocular ; ventrals 178-214 ; subcaudals 59-63. 



Eye much larger than the nostril .... 4. nyassce, p. 347. 



Eye scarcely larger than the nostril . . 5. stenophthalmus, p. 347. 



1. Simocephalus eapensis. 



Heterolepia eapensis, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr., Rept. pi. Iv. (1847) ; 



Dum. 8f Bibr. vii. p. 426 (1854); Peters, Man. Berl.' Ac. 1876, 



p. 119 ; Mocquard, Bull. Son. Philom. (7) i. 1887, p. 22 ; Bouleny. 



Ann. 8r_ Mag. N. H. (6) viii. 1891, p. 344. 

 gueinzii, Peters, Mon. Berl Ac. 1874, p. 164, pi. — . fig. 2; 



Mocquard, I. c. 

 savorgnani, Mocquard, I. c. p. 27, pi. x. fig. 4. 



Eostral broader than deep, just visible from above; internasals 

 broader than long, two thirds the length of the prsefrontals ; frontal 

 a little longer than broad, as long as its distance from the rostral or 

 the end of the snout, slightly shorter than the parietals ; loreal 

 square ; a small praeocular ; two small postoculars ; temporals 1 +2 ; 

 seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye ; four lower 

 labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are longer 

 than the posterior. Scales strongly keeled, with secondary keels 

 and tubercles, in 15 rows (17 on the neck). Ventrals 203-241 ; anal 

 entire; subcaudals 45-61. Dark olive-brown above, upper lip, 

 middle of vertebral scales, and ends of lower scales yellowish ; 

 yellowish beneath. 



Total length 930 millim. ; tail 133. 



South-east Africa and Ogowai. 



a. cJ (Head and anterior ex- Delagoa Bay. S. African Museum [P.], 

 tremity of body and tail ; 

 C. 4o). 



