9. ATEAOIASPIS. 515 



five upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye, fourth largest ; 

 first lower labial in contact with its fellow behind the symphysial ; 

 three lower labials in contact with the chin-shields, third extremely 

 large. Scales in 23 rows. Ventrals 227-248 ; anal entire ; sub- 

 caudals 19-24, single. Uniform dark brown or blackish. 



Total length 600 millim. ; tail 37. 



East and Central Africa. 



a-b. S (V. 227, 244 ; Zanzibar. Sir J. Kirk [C.l. (Types.) 



0.22,19). 

 c. cJ (V. 248; C. 24). L. Nyassa. . Universities Mission. 



6. Atractaspis bibronii. 



Atractaspis bibronii, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr., Rept. pi. Ixxi. (1849) ; 



Bum. §• Biir. vii. p. 1304 (1854) ; Socage, Jorn. iSc. Lisb. i. 1866, 



p. 227 ; Socage, Berp. Angola, i. p. 141 (1895). 



inornatus, Smith, I. c. 



irregularis {non Reinh.), Giinth. Cat. p. 239 (1858). 



irregularis, var. bibronii, Boeitg. Ber. Sench. Oes. 1887, p. 165. 



Snout prominent, subcuneiform. Portion of rostral visible from 

 above as long as or a little shorter than its distance from the 

 frontal ; suture between the internasals nearly as long as that 

 between the prsefrontals ; frontal as long as broad or slightly longer 

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

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

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

 five upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye, fourth largest ; 

 first lower labial in contact with its fellow behind the symphysial ; 

 three lower labials in contact with the chin-shields, third extremely 

 large. Scales in 21-23 rows. Ventrals 221-260 ; anal entire ; 

 subcaudals 20-23, all or greater part single. Dark purplish brown 

 above, yellowish or pale brown beneath. 



Total length 600 millim. ; tail 25. 



Eastern districts of Cape Colony, Natal, Namaqualand, Angola. 



a. 5 (Sc. 21 ; V. 260 ; Eastern districts of Cape Sir A. Smith [P.]. 

 0. 20). Colony. (One of the types.) 



b. cJ (Sc. 21 ; V. 222 ; Durban, Natal. Col. Bowker [P.J. 

 0. 23). 



c. S (Sc. 21 ; V. 221 ; S. Africa. 

 C. 22). 



7. Atractaspis aterrima. 



Atractaspis bibronii {non Smith), Jan, Rev. 8r Mag. Zool. 1859, 



p. 611, and Icon. 04n. 43, pi. iii. fig. 2 (1873). 

 aterrima, Giinth. Ann. 8r Mag. N. H. (3) xii. 1863, p. 363. 



Snout rounded. Portion of rostral visible from above measuring 

 one third to one half its ^distance from the frontal ; suture between 

 the internasals as long as or .longer than that between the prse- 

 frontals ; frontal as long as broad, longer than its distance from 

 the end of the snout, shorter than the parietals ; one prse- and one 



2l2 



