250 



COLTJBEID^. 



after an interspace, by a very large grooved fang situated in 

 advance of the eye ; second and third or third and fourth man- 

 dibular teeth large, fang-like. Head small, not distinct from 

 neck ; eye very small, with round pupil ; nostril in a single or 

 divided nasal, which does not touch the rostral, the internasal 

 forming a suture with the first labial ; no loreal. Body cylindrical ; 

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

 very short; subcaudals in two rows. 

 West Africa. 



Fig. 18. 



Maxillary and mandible of Miodon acanthias. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. Anal entire ; ventrals 190-216 . . 1. acanthias, p. 250. 



II. Anal divided. 



A. Frontal longer than broad. 



Internasals considerably shorter than the 



praBfrontals ; ventrals 201-228 2. collaris, p. 251. 



Internasals as long as or slightly shorter 



than the prasf rentals ; ventrals 214- 



249 3. gabonensis, p. 252. 



Internasals as long as or slightly shorter 



than the praef rentals ; ventrals 181- 



200 4. notatus, p. 252. 



B. Frontal as long as broad ; ventrals 238. 



5. neuwiedii, p. 253. 



1. I/[iodoii acantMas. 



Urobelus acanthias, Reinh. Vidensk. Meddel. 1860, p. 229, pi. iii. 

 Elapomorphus acanthias, Jan, Arch. Zoul. Anat. Phys. ii. 1863, p. 47, 

 and Icon. G4n. 14, pi. iii. %. 4 (1865). 



acanthias, part., Giinth. Ann. 8f Mag. N. H. (6) i. 1888, p. 323. 



? Microsoma coUare, var. D, Bocage, Herp. Angola, p. 126 (1895). 



Diameter of eye less than its distance from the oral margin. 

 Rostral broader than deep, just visible from above; internasals 

 shorter than the prsefrontals ; frontal once and a half as broad as 

 the supraocular, once and a half to once and two thirds as long as 



