4. BiTis. 497 



the chin-shields. Scales in 27-29 rows, all keeled. Ventrals 126- 

 140 ; subcaudals 19-26. Markings, if present, as in B. cornuia. 



Total length 350 millim. ; tail 30. 



Cape of Grood Hope. 



A. Dark yellowish brown above, with faint traces of darker markings, 



brownish yellow beneath with a few dark dots ; head marbled 

 with dark brown. (E. inomata. Smith.) 



a. 5 (Sc. 29 ; V. 140 ; C. 26). Snow Mountains, near Sir A. Smith 



GraafKeypet. [P.]. (Type.) 



B. Brown above, with two dorsal series of dark brown, black-edged 



spots. ( V. atrojaoides, Smith.) 



a. ?(Sc.27;V.126;0. 20). 40 miles E. of Cape Sir A. Smith 



Town. [P.]. (Type.) 



b. S (Sc. 29 ; V. 131 ; 0. 19). S. Africa. 



5. Bitis comuta. 



Peterson, Narr. Journ. Sott. Caffr. p. 161, pi. — (1789). 



Vipera cornuta, Hand. Rept. vi. p. 188 (1803) ; Schleg. Phys. Serp. ii. 



p. 682, pi. xxi. figs. 8 & 9 (1837) ; Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr., Rept. 



pi. xxxii. (1843) ; Stramh, Syn. Viper, p. 100 (1869) ; Boettg. Ber, 



Sench. Ges. 1887, p. 168. 



armata. Smith, JEdinb. N. Philos. Journ. i. 1826, p. 251. 



lophophris, Cm. R. A. 2nd ed. ii. p. 92 (1829) ; Smith, III.. 



Zool. S. Afr., Rept. pi. xxiiii. (1843) ; Jan, Icon. Q6n. 45, pi. v- 



fig. 2 (1874). 

 Cerastes cornuta. Gray, Zool. Miscell. p. 70 (1842). 

 Clotho cornuta, Gray, Cat. p. 27 (1849). 

 Cerastes lophophrys, Dum. Sr Bibr. vii. p. 1444, pi. Ixxviii. b. fig. 4 



(1854). 



Nostrils turned upwards and outwards. Eostral small, twice to 

 twice and a haK as broad as deep ; head covered with small, imbri- 

 cate, strongly keeled soalos, 12 to 17 across the vertex from eye to 

 eye; two to five scales above the eye raised, horn-Hke ; 12 to 14 

 scales round the eye ; three or four series of scales between the 

 eye and the labials ; two or three series of scales between the supra- 

 nasals ; two or three series of scales between the nasal and the 

 rostral ; 12 to 1-5 upper labials ; two or three lower labials in 

 contact with the chin-shields. Scales in 25-29 rows, strongly 

 keeled, outer row smooth or feebly keeled. Ventrals 120-152; 

 anal entire ; subcaudals 18-36, well developed in the males, scale- 

 like and more or less distinctly keeled in the females. Greyish, or 

 reddish brown above, with dark brown spots, often edged with 

 whitish, disposed in three or four longitudinal series, with or without 

 light spots between them; head with more or less distinct sym- 

 metrical markings ; an oblique dark streak from the eye to the 

 mouth ; yellowish white or brownish beneath, uniform or spotted 

 with dark brown. 



VOL. m. ' 2 z 



