244 



COmBEID^. 



191. AMBLTODIPSAS. 



Amblyodipsas, Peters, Man. JBerl. Ac. 1856, p. 592, and Seise n. 



Mossamb. iii. p. 109 (1882). 

 Amblyodipaas, part., Jan, Arch. Zool. Anat. Phys. ii. 1862, p. 40. 



Maxillary very ahort, witli five teeth gradually increasing in size 

 and followed, after an interspace, by a large grooved fang situated 

 below the eye ; mandibular teeth decreasing in size posteriorly. 

 Head small, not distinct from neck ; eye minute, with round pupil ; 

 nostril in a single very small nasal; no internasals ; no loreal; 

 no prseocular ; no anterior temporal. Body cylindrical ; scales 

 smooth, without pits, in 15 rows; ventrals rounded. Tail very 

 short, obtuse ; subcaudals in two rows. 



Mozambique. 



1. Amhlyodipsas microphthalma. 



Calamaria microphthalma, Bianconi, Spec. Zool. Mosamb. p. 94, 

 pi. xii. fig. 1 (1852). 



Amblyodipsas microphthalma, Peters, Man. Berl. Ac. 1856, p. 592; 

 Jan, Arch. Zool. Anat. Phys. ii. 1862, p. 41, and Icon. Gin. 14, 

 pi. i. fig. 1 (1865) ; Peters, Reise n. Mossamb. iii. p. 109 (1882). 



Rostral broader than deep, the portion visible from above 

 measuring about two thirds its distance from the frontal ; prae- 

 frontals longer than broad ; frontal large, nearly twice as long as 

 broad, acutely pointed behind, much longer than its distance from 

 the end of the snout, a little shorter than the parietals ; supraocular 

 very small ; a minute postocular ; a single temporal ; four upper 

 labials, second and third entering the eye, fourth largest and in 

 contact Vith the parietal ; four lower labials in contact with the 

 anterior chin-shields, fourth very large and narrowly separated 

 from its fellow by the posterior chin-shields. Scales in 15 rows. 

 Ventrals 142; anal divided; subcaudals 19. Dark brown above; 

 upper lip, two outer rows of scales, outer ends of ventrals, and 

 lower surface of head and tail white ; a dark brown stripe along 

 the middle of the beUy. 



Total length 300 miUim. ; tail 24. 



Mozambique. ^' Cf ' '; '4 ' 



192. ELAPOTINUS. 



Elapotinus, Jan, Arch. Zool. Anat. Phys. ii. 1862, p. 31. 



Dentition as in Amblyodipsas, but the groove on the posterior 

 fang probably less distinct *. Head small, not distinct from neck ; 

 eye minute, with round pupil ; nostril between two nasals ; no 



* Jan describes the Snake as aglyphodont, but he has OTerlooked the groore 

 on the tooth in so many unquestionably opisthoglyphous Colubrines that we 

 may well be permitted to doubt the accuracy of his statement in this particular 



