516 



VIPBEIDa). 



poBtocular ; a large temporal, wedged in befc-ween 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 19-21 rows. Ventrals 

 251-300 ; anal entire ; subcaudals 18-24, single. Uniform dark 

 brown or black. 



Total length 650 millim. ; tail 30. 



West and Central Africa. 



a. Hgr. (Sc. 21 ; V. 276 ; W. Africa. Prof. Grant [P.]. 



0. 18). (Type.) 



4. d' (Sc. 19: V. 251: Ashantee. Sir A . Smith [P.l. 



0.22). 



c. d (Sc. 21 ; V. 256 ; Wegbe. Togoland. W. G. Innes, Esq, [C.l. 

 0. 22). 



d. d (Se. 21; V. 273; Lagos. 

 0.23). 



e-/- 2 (Sc. 19 ; V. 282 ; 150 miles up the Niger. W. H. Crosse, Esq. 



0. 19) & vg. (Sc. 19 ; [P.]. 



V. 277 ; d. 24). 

 ff. 2 (So. 19 ; V. 300 ; Wadelai. Dr. Emin Pasha [P.]. 



C. 19). 

 h. Skull of e. 



8. Atractaspis dahomeyensis. 



Atractaspis dahomeyensis, Bocaqe, Jorn. Sc. Liab. xi. 1887, p. 196, 

 and Serp. Angola, p. 144 (1895). 



Snout prominent and cuneiform, as in A. rosirata. One prae- 

 ocular ; postocular absent, fused with the supraocular ; a large 

 anterior temporal ; five upper labials, third and fourth entering the 

 eye ; symphysial in contact with the chin-shields ; third lower labial 

 very large. Scales in 31 rows. Ventrals 240 ; anal entire ; sub- 

 caudals 24, partly single, partly divided. Black above, brown 

 beneath, the ventral shields edged with lighter. 



Total length 490 millim. ; tail 32. 



Dahomey. 



9. Atractaspis micropholis. 



Atractaspis corpulentus {non Sallow.), Gunih. Ann. ^ Mag. N. H. 



(3) xviii. 1866, p. 29. 

 micropholia, Giintk. Ann. Sf Mag. N. H. (4) ix. 1872, p. 36, 



pi. iii. fig. E ; F. Mull. Verh. Nat. Ges. Basel, viii. 1887, p. 278. 



Snout very short, prominent, cuneiform. Rostral large, the portion 

 visible from above as long as its distance from the frontal; suture 

 between the internasals as long as that between the prsetrontals ; 

 frontal slightly longer than broad, much longer than its distance 

 from the end of the snout, much longer than the parietals ; 

 one prse- and one postocular ; temporals small, scale-like, 2-|-3 or 

 4 ; six upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye, fourth 

 scarcely larger than third, fifth and sixth small ; first lower labial 

 forming a suture with its fellow behind the symphysial ; three or 

 four lower labials in contact with the chin-shields. Scales in 25 



