232. NAiA. 377 



Mocquard, Bull. Soc. Philom. (7) xi. 1887, p. 84 ; Bocage, I. c. 



p. 137. 

 Aspidelaps bocagii, Sauvage, Bull. Soc. Zool. France, 1884, p. 205, 



pi. vi. %.2. 

 Naja haje, var. leucosticta, Fischer, Jahrh. Hamb. Wiss. Anst. ii. 



1885, p. 115,pl.iv. fig. 11. 

 melanoleuca, MeSschie, Mitth, DeuUch. Schutzgeh. vi. 1893, 



p. 214. 



Eye moderate, two fifths to one half the length of the snout. 

 EostTEil once and one third to once and a half as broad as deep, its 

 upper portion measuring one fourth to one third its distance from 

 the frontal ; internasals shorter than the preafrontals ; frontal as 

 long as broad or a little longer than broad, as broad as the supra- 

 ocular, not longer than its distance from the rostral, one half to 

 three fifths the length of the parietals ; one prseocular, rarely in 

 contact with the internasal ; two or three postoculars ; temporals 

 1+2 or 3 ; seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye, 

 sixth largest and in contact with the lower postoculars ; three or 

 four lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields ; posterior 

 chin-shields as long as or a little shorter than the anterior, and in 

 contact with each other anteriorly. 23-29 scales across the neck, 

 19-21 across the middle of the body. Coloration very variable. 

 Sides of head yellowish or whitish, some or all of the labials with 

 posterior black edge. 



Total length 2400 miUim. ; tail 400. 



Tropical Africa. 



A. Black, with a lighter angular marking or ring on the hood ; 



anterior ventral region with yellowish cross-bars alternating 

 with black ones. 



27 



a. S (Sc. 15^; V. 213; Niger Expedition, 

 C. ?). 



oq 



b. d (Sc. fi; V. 217 ; C. Oil River. Sir H. H. Johnston 

 67). [P-]- 



c. Ad., sMn(Sc. f|; V. Uganda. Mr. Baxter [0.]. 

 212; C. ?). 



B. As in the preceding (of which it is no doubt the young), but 



with white dots or edges to the dorsal scales ; the white may 

 be disposed in cross-bars. 



0-5. Yg. (Sc. §' § ; V. Eloby, Gaboon. J. G. Eischer Collection. 



219,215; C.68,67). 



c. Yg. (Sc. g ; V. 208 ; W. Africa. Mrs. Burton [P.]. 

 0. ?). 



d. Yg. (Sc. I; V. 204; W. Africa. 

 0. 67). 



