246 coLi'BKiD-a;. 



18. Oligodon melanoceplialus. 



Homalosoma melanocephalum, Jan, Arch. Zool. Anat. Phyt. ii. 1862, 



p. 34, and Icon. Gin. 13, pi. iii. fig. 4 a865) ; Boettg. Ber. 



Senchenb. Ges. 1878-79, p. 60 ; F. Mull. VerJi. nat. Ges. Basel, 



vii. 1885, p. 678. 

 Rhyncliocalamus melanoceplialus, Gilntli. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, 



p. 491, and Zool. Sec. 1805, p. 152 ; Boettg. Ber. Smckenb. Ges. 



1879-80, p. 139; Tristram, Faun. Palest, pi. xvi. fig. 1 (1884). 

 Coronella melanocepliala, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1869, p. 489. 

 Oligodon melanocephalus, Bouleng. Faun. Ind., Rept. p. 317 (1890). 



Nasal undivided ; portion of rostral seen from above as long as 

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

 the internasals nearly as long as that between the prefrontals ; 

 frontal . longer than its distance from the end of the snout, a little 

 shorter than the parietals ; a small square loreal present or absent ; 

 one prae- and one postocular ; temporals 1 + 1 or 1 + 2 ; seven upper 

 labials, third and fourth entering the eye ; three or four lower 

 labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields ; posterior chin- 

 shields very small. Scales in 15 rows. Ventrals 181-229 ; anal 

 divided ; suboaudals 53-68. Tellow or reddish above ; upper 

 surface of head and nape bluish black ; lower parts yellowish white. 



Total length 460 millim. ; tail 75. 



Syria, Sinaitic Peninsula, Lower Egypt. 



a. $ (V. 218 ; 0. 54). Merom. Canon Tristram [C.]. 



(Type of Rhynchocalamus melanocephalus.) 



b. $ (V. 211 ; C. 56). Haifa. A. Smith Woodward, 



Esq. [P.]. 



c. Hgr. (V. 229; C. 59). Sinaitic Peninsula. H. C. Hart, Esq. [C.]. 



94. PEOSYMNA. 



Prosymna, Gray, Cat. Sn. p. 80 (1849) ; Jan, Arch. Zool. Anat. Phys. 



ii. 1862, p. 65 ; Peters, Seise n. Mossamb. iii. p. 106 (1882). 

 Temnorhynchus (non Sope), Smith, SI. Zool. S. Afr., Sept., App. 



p. 17 (1849) ; Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1867, p. 235. 

 Ehinostoma, part., Gunih. Cat. Col. Sn. p. 8 (1858). 

 Ligonirostra, Cope, Am. Journ. Sc. ^ Arts, (2) xxxv. 1863, p. 457. 



Maxillary bone short, with seven or eight teeth increasing in size 

 posteriorly, the first tooth minute, falling below the centre of the 



Eig. 18. 



Maxillary of Prosymna sundevallii. 



eye, the hindermost very large, strongly compressed, blade-like ; 

 palate toothless, or with a few minute teeth on the pterygoids ; 



