514 VIPEKIDiE. 



a-h. Hgr. (Sc. 26 ; V. 220, 160 miles up the Niger. W. H. Crosse, Esq. 

 237; 0.28,26). ^ [?,•>. -r, v. rr,n 



c. S (Sc. 27; V. 257; Wadelai. Dr.EminPasba[P.]. 



d. Yg. (Sc. 25; V. 241; Uganda. Mr. Baxter [C.]. 

 C. 22). 



4. Atractaspis corpulenta. 



BracBycranion corpulentum, HaUow. Proc. Ac. Philad. 1854, p. 99. 



Atractaspis corpulentus, Hallow. Proc. Ac. Philad. 1857, p. 70; 

 Giinth. Cat. p. 239 (1858), and Ann. 8r Mag. N. S. (4) ix. 1872, 

 p. 36, pi. iii. fig. F; Mocq. Bull. Soc. Philom. (7) xi. 1887, 

 p. 87. 



leucura, Mocq. Bull. Soc. Philom. (7) x. 1886, p. 14, pi. v. 



Snout strongly projecting, cuneiform. Eostral large, its upper 

 portion as long as its distance from the frontal ; suture between the 

 intern asals a little shorter than that between the praefrontals * ; 

 frontal as long as broad, much longer than its distance from the 

 end of the snout, as long as the parietals ; one prse- and one post- 

 ocular ; temporals 1 + 3, anterior very large and wedged in between 

 the fourth and fifth labials ; five upper labials, third and fourth 

 entering the eye ; first lower labial in contact "with its feUow 

 behind the symphysial ; second lower labial very large, fused with 

 the chin-shields and also forming a suture with its fellow. Scales 

 in 23-27 rows. Yentrals 178-193 ; anal entire; subcaudals 23-27, 

 all entire or only a few divided. Uniform blackish brown ; tail 

 sometimes white. 



Total length 345 millim. ; tail 33. 



"West Africa (Liberia to Gaboon). 



a. $ (Sc. 25; V. 178: 0. 26). Gaboon. 



5. Atractaspis rostrata. 



Atractaspis rostrata, Gunth. Ann. ^ Mag. N. H. (4) i. 1868, p. 429, 



pi. xix. fig. I. 

 bibronii (non Smith), Peters, Reise n. Mossamb. iii. p. 142, 



pis. xix A. fig. 2 & XX. fig. 11 (1882). 

 ? Atractaspis irregularis, Pfeffer, Jahrb. Samb. Wiss. Anst. x. 1893, 



p. 19. 



Snout very prominent, cuneiform. Eostral with sharp horizontal 

 edge, the portion visible from above nearly as long as its distance 

 from the frontal ; suture between the internasals a little louger or 

 a little shorter than that between the praefrontals ; frontal a little 

 longer than broad, longer than its distance from the end of the 

 snout, as long as the parietals ; one prae- and one postocular ; a 

 large temporal, wedged in between the fourth and fifth upper labials ; 



* The fusion of the internasals with the prffifrontals, in the specimen 

 described by Hallowell, is probably an individual anomaly. 



