22 



EINAR LÖNNBERG, REPTILES. 



brown, but across the hind neck is a transverse semilunar spöt of quite dark brown 

 or blackish, and a band of similar colour extends across the head över the middle 

 of the parietals from one corner of the mouth to the other. The greater part of the 

 tail is unspotted. Lower parts yellowish white. The lepidosis is normal and agrees 

 with the descriptions in the literature. 



Thrasops rothschildi Mocquard. 



Mocquard: Bull. d'hist. nat., Paris 1905, p. 287. 



Two fine specimens of this rare and recently described 1 snake were obtained 

 at Meru borna. They agree quite well with Mocquard's description except with 

 regard to what the author quoted says about the nasals, viz. »nasale reposant seule- 

 ment sur la premiére supéro-labiale, sans toucher å la seconde». The present speci- 

 mens have, like Thrasops flavigularis, double nasals, and the posterior is in contact 

 with the second upper labial. The type of Thrasops rothschildi had »une seule tem- 

 porale triangulaire, a sommet dirigé en avant». This is also the case with one of my 

 specimens on one side, on the other side, and in the other specimen the temporal is 



di vid ed so that the formula is 1 + 1, 

 and the triangulär shape is not very 

 pronounced. The number of ventrals 

 in the type is said to be 187, that of 

 the present specimens is resp. 173, and 

 178. The number of caudals of the 

 type is said to be 141, that of the pre- 

 sent specimens is resp. 144, and 140. 

 The type had a total length of 160 cm., 

 and its tail measured 52 cm. The lar- 

 ger of the two present specimens has 

 a total length of 179 cm. Of this 57 

 cm. come on the tail. 



The type of this species is said 



Fig. 



4. Thrasops rothschildi Mocquard, head from abovc and 

 from the side (nat. size). 



to be from »1'Afrique orientale anglaise», nothing more is said about its provenience. 

 Thrasops flavigularis and Th. batesii are West African. Of the allied two species of 

 Rhamnophis one ist West African and the other is from Kavirondo which zoogeo- 

 graphically in many respects can be counted to the West African region. Meru borna 

 is situated on the foothills of Kenia and in the neighbouring forests several animals 

 of different groups are found which are identical, with or closely related to such be- 

 longing to the West African forest-fauna. It appears that Thrasops rothschildi as well 

 ought to be considered as an offshoot of that fauna. 2 



1 Hull. Mus. d'hist. nat. T. XI, Paris 1905, p. 287. 



- Since this was printed lUmlengcr has recorded a specimen of this species from Bussu, Uganda which 

 conrirms this view. (Ann. Mus. Civ. Ser. 3 Vol. V 1911 p. 5). 





