STENOSTOMA NIGRICANS.— Dum. et Bib. 
Reptilia.— Plate LI. Fig. 4. 
S. superne inferneque pallide brunneo-rubra ; squamis pallide purpurio-rubro-marginatis ; capite antice 
carneo ; scuti ocularis parte inferiore portionem labii supcrioris formante. 
Typlops nigricans, Schleg. Abbild. Amp. pag. 38, PI. xxxii. fig. 21 — 24. 
Stenostoma nigricans, Erpet. Gencr. par Dum. et Bibron. tom. 6 , p. 326. 
Colour.— Scales covering the upper and under parts brownish red, each 
edged with pale brownish purple-red, the dark spots arranged in longitudinal 
rows, so that the body both above and below has a finely speckled appear- 
ance— the colour at and towards the tail darkest. Head anteriorly pale flesh- 
red. In the majority of specimens the preceding are the colours, but speci- 
mens are found in which the middle of the scales are much darker, being liver- 
brown or bluish black instead of brownish red ; in these the edges are 
generally dull lavender-purple. Individuals so coloured appear, when ob- 
served at a distance, almost black. 
Form, &c.— Figure slender, body thickest a little posterior to the middle, 
cylindrical, except towards the head, which, with the anteriormost portion of 
the body, is slightly depressed, tail short, rather curved downwards, and armed 
at the point with a short conical spine. Muzzle rounded, its edge slightly 
produced ; rostral plate anteriorly broad, posteriorly rather contracted and 
rounded ; naso-rostral plate inferiorly broad where it joins the nasal, and 
considerably narrower above, where it is in contact with the anterior frontal ; 
nostiil situated in the suture formed by the junction of the nasal and naso- 
rostral plates. Ocular plate large, irregularly shaped, many angled, its 
inferior extremity slightly truncated, and forms a portion of the upper lip, 
the part of the lip immediately in front, between lower edge of ocular and 
hinder edge of rostral, formed by a somewhat irregular, triangular, labial plate 
and a larger one, which lies behind the ocular plate, constitutes the hinder 
portion of the lip ; the last is of considerable breadth, and extends upwards 
till it reaches the lower edge of the parietal, which is also of considerable 
size. The anterior frontal, the frontal, and the interparietal plates six-sided, 
and differ only from the scales of the body in being smaller and rather longer 
in proportion to their breadth. Vide Plate LIV. figs. 17 to 20. Eyes dis- 
tinct, and situated close to where the under edge of the supra-ocular joins the 
hinder edge of the naso-rostral plate. Length from nose to base of tail 
7 inches 6 lines ; length of tail 6^ lines. 
Inhabits the interior of Southern Africa, and is generally found under large flat stones, or 
other bodies lying on the surface of the earth. 
