200 Proceedings of the Boyal Physical Society. 
sent to me for examination a number of snakes and other 
reptiles which had been collected by the missionaries in Old 
Calabar. Among several very interesting species I observed 
a new genus of the family Boidcey which I have great pleasure 
. in laying before the Society, more especially as it appears to 
be the indication of a new tribe in that curious family. 
" This animal belongs to the second section of the family 
which is thus characterised : — 
" 11. Tail very short, not, or only very slightly, prehensile. 
Head indistinct, short. 
" It is entirely distinct from the tribes Cylhidrophina, 
Carinina, and Tortricina, and therefore I propose to form for 
it a tribe (Calaharina) by itself, having the same characters 
as the genus. 
" Calabaria. 
" Head small, short, rounded in front, the same size as the 
body; muzzle depressed, rounded; labial shields flat, ^ ; the 
hinder small, front moderate ; rostral shield high, large, tri- 
angular; frontal shields, three pairs, band-like, subsimilar, 
followed by a band-like shield continued from side to side, 
which has behind it a small subtrigonal shield on each side, 
with a central large triangular shield between them on the 
crown. Eyes surrounded by scales, on the upper edges of the 
upper labial shields, and the outer edges of the fourth and 
fifth frontal plates, and with one ocular shield in front, and 
two smaller behind the eyes ; loreal shield single, small ; 
pupil circular. Nostril lateral, between two small nasal 
shields. Body cylindrical. Scales broad, triangular, po- 
lished, rather sunken and subrugose in the centre. Ventral 
shields very numerous, band-like, transverse, about half as 
wide as the diameter of the body. Vent small, with a single 
preanal shield. Spurs large, distinct. Tail short, as thick 
as the body, blunt, and rounded at the end. Subcaudal shields 
broad, band-like, one-rowed, like the ventral shields. 
" I think it probable, when some other specimens have been 
examined, that the band-like shield extending across from the 
upper edge of each eye will be found to be composed of three 
shields like the band behind it, which are here united into 
