390 COLTJBEIDJS. 



234. ASPIDELAPS. 



Naja, part., Schhg. Phys. Serp. ii. p. 461 (1837). 



As'pidelaps, Smith, III. Zool. 8. Afr., Rept. App. p. 21 (1849). 



Oyrtophia, Smith, I. c. p. 22 ; Gunth. Cat. Col. 8n. p. 226 (1858) ; 



Peters, JReise n. Mo.isamb. iii. p. 139 (1882). 

 Elaps, part., Bum. 8r Bibr. Erp. Oin. vii. p. 1191 (1854). 

 Aspidelaps, part., Jan, Rev. 8f Mag. Zool. 1859, p. 510. 



Maxillary extending forwards beyond the palatine, with a pair of 

 large grooved poison-fangs ; no other maxillary teeth ; mandibular 

 teeth, anterior longest. Head slightly distinct from neck ; eye 

 moderate, with round or vertically elliptic pupil ; rostral shield very 

 large, detached on the sides ; nostril between two or three nasals 

 and the internasal; no loreal. Body cylindrical; scales oblique, 

 smooth or keeled, without pits, in 19 to 23 rows; ventrals rounded. 

 Tail short, obtuse ; subcaudals in two rows. 



Soath Africa and Mozambique. 



1. Aspidelaps luhricus. 



Seba, Thei. ii. pi. xxxiv. fig. 4, & pi. xliii. fig. S (1735) ; Merr. Beytr. 



i. p. 9, pi. ii. (1790). 

 Natnx lubrica, Laur. Syn. Rept. p. 80 (1768). 

 Coluber latonia, Daud. Rept. vii. p. 156 (1803). 

 Elaps luhricus, Merr. Tent, p 143 (1820) ; Bum. ^ Bibr. vii. p. 1218 



(1854). 

 Naia somersetta. Smith, Edinb. N. Philos. Joum. i. 1826, p. 253. 

 Naja lubrica, ScUeg. Phys. Serp. ii. p. 484, pi. xvii. figs. 14 & 15 



(1837). 

 Aspidelaps luhricus, Smith, III. Zool. 8. Afr., Rept. App. p. 21 



(1849) ; Jan, Icon. Gen. 44, pi. vi. fig. 2 (1873); Boettg. Abh. Nat.. 



Oes. Nilrnberg, viii. 1891, p. 93. 

 CyrtopMs scutatus, Gilnth. Cat. p. 227 (1858), and Proc. Zool. Soc. 



1859, p. 88. 



Eostral as deep as broad, one third the width of the head, forming 

 a right or acute angle above ; internasals much longer than the 

 praefrontals ; frontal once and one third to once and two thirds as 

 long as broad, shorter than its distance from the end of the snout, 

 shorter than the parietals ; internasal and posterior nasal in contact 

 with the single prseocular ; two or three postoculars ; temporals 

 2+2 or 3, lower anterior very large and reaching or nearly reaching 

 the mouth ; six (rarely seven) upper labials, third and fourth 

 entering the eye ; three or four lower labials in contact with the 

 anterior chin-shields, which are as long as or longer than the pos- 

 terior. Scales smooth, in 19 (or 21) rows. Ventrals 146-167 ; 

 anal entire ; subcaudals 20-28. "Whitish (orange or red in. life), 

 with black annuli which are slightly angular on the back ; a black 

 bar below the eye ; sometimes a black cross-bar between the eyes 

 and an oblique band on the temple ; upper surface of head some- 

 times entirely black. 



Total length 590 millim. ; tail 55. 



Cape Colony and Great Namaqualand. 



