BUCEPHALUS CAPENSIS. 
rally without the yellow variegations, and are everywhere of the same tint as 
the edges of those which are situated nearer to the base of the tail. Eyes, 
shining brown. In some specimens of this variety very faint remains of 
yellow markings are occasionally to be seen upon the scales of the back and 
sides, clearly indicating that had they been secured in an early stage of their 
existence, they would have required to have been classed with the variety- 
next to be described. 
Form, &c. — Head distinct from the neck ; body moderately slender and 
fusiform, the thickest part rather nearer to the head than the tip of the tail ; 
form subcylindrical, the belly flattened and very broad ; tail long, tapered, and 
pointed, its figure somewhat cylindrical, the under surface slightly flattened. 
The head is short, rather clumsy, and distinctly quadrangular, its breadth 
and height nearly equal ; the upper surface is slightly convex, the sides 
almost perpendicular, with a slight longitudinal concavity in front of the eyes ; 
the nose is obtuse, almost truncated ; the lips are coated, each with a row of 
large quadrangular scales. The mouth is armed with six rows of teeth, and 
the two or three last teeth of each maxillary row are much larger than any of 
the others, and grooved throughout their whole length. They point almost 
directly backwards, and are either firmly fixed upon the maxillary bones or 
slightly moveable, and are in a great measure concealed by the pulpy sheath, 
with which they are encircled. Within this sheath there are also a number of 
recumbent fangs, evidently destined to supply such of the fixed ones as 
may from time to time disappear. All the rest of the teeth are small, cylin- 
drical, recurved, and pointed. The salivary * and lachrymal glands are 
moderately large. The eyes are very large, the corneae slightly con- 
vex, and the pupils circular. The nostrils are situated towards the middle 
of the nasal plates, nearly circular, and opening outwards and backwards, 
The plates covering the upper surface of the head are ten in number ; the 
rostral one is rather small, subtriangular, or indistinctly five-sided, its apex 
lies between the anterior frontal plates, and its base forms the margin of the 
upper lip, and is indented with a deep crescent-shaped emargination ; the 
anterior frontal plates are four-sided, the hinder and outer sides longest ; the 
posterior frontal plates considerably larger than the anterior ones and of an 
irregular quadrangular shape, the irregularity depends principally upon the 
elongation of the anterior and outer angle of each scale which extends down- 
* M. Duvernoy is of opinion (Anna!, da Scienc, Nat. tom."2G. p. 149.) that the anterior portion only of 
the glandular structure which is found under the integuments of the upper lip is for the secretion of saliva : 
the posterior portion, he thinks, is distinct from the anterior, and is adapted for the secretion of poison. 
W e have tried, but in vain, to discover grounds for entertaining a like opinion. 
