512 VIPEEIDai. 



2. Third lower laWal very large. 



a. Pirst lower labial in contact with its fellow behind the- 



symphysial; scales in J. 9-23 rows. 

 Snout very prominent, cuneiform ; rostral 



with sharp horizontal edge ; ventrals 



227-248 5. rostrata, p. 514. 



Snout prominent, subcuneiform ; ventrals 



221-260 6. hilronii, p. 515. 



Snout rounded j ventrals 251-300 .... 7. aterrima, p. 515. 



b. Symphysial in contact with the chin-shields ; scales in 



31 rows ; ventrals 240 .... 8. dahomeyensis, p. 516. 



B. Temporals small, 2+3 or 4; fourth or fifth lower labial 

 largest ; ventrals 210-245 ; subcaudals 26-37. 



1. Scales in 23-25 rows. 



Frontal slightly longer than broad, much 



longer than the parietals 9. micropholis, p. 516. 



Frontal once and two fifths as long as 



broad, as long as the parietals 10. leucomelas, p. 517. 



2. Scales in 29-37 rows 11. microlepidota, p. 517. 



Atraetaspis natalensis, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1877, p. 616, pi. — . 

 fig. 3, is not included in this Synopsis. I am convinced it is 

 identical with Macrelaps microlepidotus, Gthr. (supra, p. 255), and 

 should be referred to the synonymy of that species. 



1. Atractaspis hildebrandtii. 



Atractaspis hildebrandtii, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1877, p. 616, pi. — . 

 fig. 3. 



Snout rounded. Portion of rostral visible from above as long as, 

 or a little shorter than, its distance from the frontal ; suture between 

 the internasals a little longer than that between the praefrontals ; 

 frontal once and a half as long as broad, rnuch longer than its 

 distance from the end of the snout, shorter than the parietals ; no 

 preeocular ; praefrontal entering the eye ; a minute postocular ; a 

 large temporal, widely separated from the postocular ; sis upper 

 labials, third and fourth entering the eye, fifth very large and 

 forming a long suture with the parietal ; first lower labial in contact 

 with its feUow behind the symphysial ; four lower labials in contact 

 with the anterior chin-shields, which are followed by a second 

 shorter pair. Scales in 17 rows. Ventrals 167-174 ; anal divided ; 

 subcaudals 22-28 pairs. Uniform dark brown. 



Total length 450 miUim. ; tail 53. 



East Africa. 



a. 6 (V. 167 ; 0. 28). Mombasa. H. W. Lane, Esq. [0.]. 



