152. rEPTODiEA. ■ 89 



Maxillary teeth 15 to 18, gradually and feebly increaBing in 

 length, followed, after an interspace, by a pair of enlarged grooved 

 teeth situated just behind the vertical of the posterior border of the 

 eye ; mandibular teeth, anterior slightly enlarged. Head distinct 

 from neck ; eye large, with vertically elliptic pupil ; posterior nasal 

 ooncave. Body cylindrical or moderately compressed ; scales 

 smooth or faintly keeled, with apical pits, in 17 to 25 rows ; 

 ventrals rounded. Tail moderate or rather long; subcaudals in 

 two rows. 



Tropical and South Africa ; Tropical America, northwards to 

 Texas. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. Anal entire; scales in 19 (exceptionally 17) rows; ventrals 



144-180 ; subcaudals 32-54 1. hoiambceia, p. 89. 



II. Anal divided. 



A. Subcaudals 51-72 ; lateral spots none, or very small. 



1. Scales in 19 rows. 



Seven upper labials ; ventrals 151-164. 2. punctata, p. 91. 

 Eight upper labials; ventrals 170-196. 3. nigrofasciata, p. 92. 



2. Scales in 21 to 25 rows. 



Fine upper labials ; ventrals 188 .... 4. frenata, p. 92. 

 Eight upper labials; ventrals 194. ... 6. septentrionalis, p. 93. 

 Jlight upper labials ; ventrals 160-180. 6. personata, p. 93. 



B. Subcaudals 71-107. 



1. Scales in 21 or 23 rows ; rostral twice as broad as deep ; 



lateral spots present. 



Ventrals 158-169 7. ocellata, p. 94. I ■ 



Vehtrals 172-211 8. albofusea, p. 95. d^ 



2. Scales in 19 (exceptionally 17 or 21) rows ; ventrals 175- 



195 ; rostral not twice as broad as deep. 



9. annulata, p. 97. J_ 



1. Leptodira hotamboeia. 



Seba, Thes. i. pi. xxxiii. fig. 6, & Ixxv. fig. 3 (1734). 

 Coronella hotambceia. Law. Syn. Rept. p. 85 (1768). 



virginica, Laur. I. c. p. 86. 



Coluber rufescens, Gmel. S. iV. i. p. 1094 (1789) ; Datid. Sept. vii, 



p. 110 (1803). 



' Mtamboeia, Gmel. I. c. p. 1113. 



bicolor, Leach, in Boiodich, Miss. Ashantee, p. 493 (1819). 



Ophis heterurus, Duvernoy, Ann. So. Nat. xxx. 1833, p. 9, pi. i. 



fig. 2. 



