176. THELOIOENIB. 185 



Dryiophis, part., Gunth. Cat. Col. Sn. p. 155 (1858) ; Jan, Elenco 



sist. Ofid. p. 88 (1863). 

 Cladophis, A. Bum. Arch. Mus. x. 1859, p. 204. 



Maxillary teeth 16 or 17, gradually increasing in length, 

 followed, alter a short interspace, by two or three enlarged grooved 

 teeth situated below the posterior border of the eye ; anterior 

 mandibular teeth strongly enlarged. Head distinct from neck, 

 with strong canthus rostralis ; eye large, with horizontal pupil ; 

 nasal entire. Body cylindrical, very slender ; scales narrow, very 

 oblique, feebly keeled, with apical pits, in 19 rows ; ventrals 

 rounded. Tail long ; subcaudals in two rows. 



Tropical and South Africa. 



In this genus, as in the following, the ectopterygoid bone is 

 forked, the two branches articulating with the maxillary (see 

 fig. 14, p. 187), a structure not found in any other type of Snakes. 

 Thelotomis and Dispholidus further agree in having the brain-case 

 widely open in front, as in Codopeltis, Bromaphis, Taphrometojuon, 

 Psammophis, aind Dryophis. 



1. Thelotornis kirtlandii. 



Leptophis kirtlandii, Sallow. Proe. Ac. PMlad. 1844, p. 62, and 



1854, p. 100. 

 Thelotornis capensis, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr., JRept., App. p. 19 



(1849) ; Peters, Mon. Perl. Ac. 1867, p. 235. 

 Oxybelis lecomtei, Dum. Sr Bibr. vii. p. 821 (1854). 

 Tragops rufulus, Dum. 8^ Bibr. t. c. p 827. 

 Oxybdis kirtlandii, Sallow. Proc. Ac. Philad. 1857, p. 59. 

 violacea, Fischer, Abh. Naturw. Hamb. iii. 1856, p. 91, pi. ii. 



fig. 7. 

 Dryiophis kirtlandii, Giinth. Cat. p. 156 (1868), and Ann. 8f Mag. 



N. H. (3) xi. 1863, p. 22 ; Boettg. Ber. SenCk. Oes. 1888, p. 65 ; 



Jan, Icon. Ghi. 32, pi. vi. fig. 2 (1869) ; Socage, Serp. Angola, 



p. 119 (1896). 

 Cladophis kirtlandii, A. Hum. Arch. Mus. x. 1859, p. 204, pL xvii. 



Dryiophis oatesii, Giinth. in Oates, Matabeleland, p. 330, pi. D (1881). 

 Thelotornis kirtlandii, Peters, Reise n. Moisamb. iii. p. 131, pi. xix. 

 fig. 2 (1882). 



Eostral broader than deep, visible from above ; intemasalg as 

 long as broad, nearly as long as the prsefrontals, sometimes reaching 

 the labials between the nasal and the loreal ; frontal once and two 

 thirds to twice as long as broad, as long as its distance from the 

 rostral or the end of the snout, as long as or slightly shorter than 

 the parietals, which are followed by a pair of large occipitals 

 separated by a smaller 'shield ; one, two, or three loreals ; one prae- 

 ocular, not reaching the frontal ; three postoculars ; temporals 1+2 

 (rarely 1 + 1) ; eight or nine upper labials, fourth and fifth or 

 fifth and sixth entering the eye ; three to five lower labials in 

 contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are shorter than the 

 posterior. Scales feebly keeled, in 19 rows. Ventrals 147-181 ; 

 anal divided ; subcaudals 117-170. Greyish or pinkish brown 

 above, uniform or with more or less distinct darker and lighter 



