THE FAUNA OF A DESERT TRACT IN SOUTHERN INDIA. 193 



Typhlops limbrickii, sp. nov. 

 Diagnosis — 



Habit slender, short, somewhat flattened ; head broad, rather large ; eyes large but 

 inconspicuous ; snout rounded, projecting moderately ; tail slightly longer than broad, 

 ending in a point ; the diameter of the body contained about 29 times in the length ; 18 

 scales round the body. Rostral about \ the width of the head, barely reaching the cen- 

 tre of the eyes behind ; nostril lateral but almost inferior, between two nasals, the first 

 of which is in contact with the first labial and does not reach the upper surface of the 

 head, the cleft between the two starting from the suture between the first and second 

 labial ; the posterior nasal widely separated from its fellow above ; a prseocular almost as 

 large as the ocular ; no subocular ; the prseocular in contact with the third labial below ; 

 (?) five upper labials ; the upper head scales scarcely larger than those on the dorsal surface 

 of the body. Head and upper surface of body feebly tinged with buff; tip of tail and 

 the whole ventral surface dirty white (pale flesh-colour in life). Total length of type 

 specimen, 72 mm. 



A single specimen from Ramanad. I have much pleasure in associating the species 

 with the name of the Rev. A. D. Limbrick, of Ramanad. 



Typhlops psammophilus, sp. nov. 

 Diagnosis — 



Habit slender, elongated, cylindrical ; head very small ; eyes small but densely pig- 

 mented ; snout rounded, obtuse, projecting ; tail twice as long as broad, ending in a spine ; the 

 diameter of the body contained about 78 times in the total length ; 20 to 22 scales round 

 the body. Rostral less than a third the width of the head, not reaching the level of the 

 eyes behind ; nostril lateral, between two nasals, the cleft proceeding from the first labial 

 and reaching the upper surface of the head, the posterior nasal separated from its fellow 

 above ; 4 upper labials ; a prseocular larger than the ocular, in contact with the anterior 

 nasal ; no subocular. Head and tip of tail white ; scales on body, above and below, 

 pale grey minutely edged with black, giving the animal a delicately reticulated appear- 

 ance. Total length, 195 mm. 



Three specimens from Ramanad. 



Eryx conicus. 



Gongylophis conicus, Boulenger, Fauna Ind., Rept., p. 247, fig. 75. 



An adult female and three young ones, said to have been found with it, were 

 brought me at Ramanad. The young were far more brilliantly coloured than the adult but 

 their markings had the same outlines. 



Eryx johnii. 



This species is evidently more common than the preceding, both on Rames- 

 warem Island and the mainland. Numerous specimens were brought me at every halting 

 place. Probably both it and E. conicus feed on the small rodents (Mus and Gerbillus) 

 which are abundant in the sand. 



