414 COITJBEII)^. 



Snout obtuse, feebly projecting. Eostral broader than deep, just 

 visible from above ; upper surface of snout with numerous small 

 shields ; frontal broken up into three shields ; loreal and temporal 

 regions covered with numerous small scales ; upper labials 14 or 15, 

 separated from the eye by a series of suhoculars ; six lower labials 

 in contact with the anterior chin-shields ; posterior chin-shields 

 narrow and separated from each other by two series of scales. 

 Scales smooth, in 41 or 43 rows. Ventrals 263 ; anal entire ; sub-' 

 caudals 100. Pale buff above, with blackish spots which are rect- 

 angular and transverse on the anterior part of the body ; a blackish 

 streak along each side of the neck and another from the nostril to 

 the angle of the mouth, passing through the eye ; yellowish white 

 inferiorly. 



Total length 1230 millim. ; tail 240. 



Persia (Laristan and Shiraz). 



55. LYTOEHYNCHUS. 



HeterodoE, part., JDum. ^ Bibr. Erp. Qin. vii. p. 764 (1864). 



Simotes, part., Gimth. Cat. Col. Sn. p. 2-3 (1858) . 



Lytorhj'nclnia, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac, 1862, p. 272; Bnuleng. Ann. 



Sf Mm/. N. H. (5) xx. 1887, p. 414, and Faun. Ind., Rept. p, 322 



(1890). 

 Chataehlein, Jan, Arch. Zool. Anat. PM/s. ii. 1863, p. 228. 

 Acontiophis, Giinth. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1875, p. 232. 

 Catachlsena, Blanf. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1881, p. 678. 

 Phyllorhyncliua, Stejneger, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiii. 1890, p. 151 ; 



Cope, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiv. 1892, p. 617. 



Maxillary teeth 6 to 9, posterior much longer than anterior ; 

 mandibular teeth subequal. Head slightly distinct from neck, with 

 cuneiform projecting snout ; eye moderate, pupil vertically elliptic ; 

 rostral large, four-sided, projecting, concave inferiorly ; nostril an 

 oblique slit between two nasals. Body elongate, cylindrical ; scales 

 smooth or feebly keeled, without apical pits, in 19 rows ; ventrals 

 obtusely angulate laterally. Tail moderate or short ; subcaudals in 

 two rows. 



North Africa and Asia, from the Algerian Sahara to Syria, 

 Transcaspia, Afghanistan, and Kind ; Arizona and Lower California. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. Internasals forming a suture behind the rostral ; two pairs of 

 chin-shields. 



End of snout truncate ; a pair of prse- 



frontals ; two labials entering the eye . . 1. diadema, p. 415. 

 Snout pointed ; a single prsefrontal ; no 



labial entering the eye 2. ridgewayi, p. 415. 



Snout pointed; a pair of prsefrontals ; one 



labial entering the eye 3. paradoxus, p. 416. 



