DASYPELTIS INORNATUS. 
two ; temporal plates two or three, long, narrow, and quadrangular ; plates 
of upper lip, exclusive of rostral, eight, of lower lip, exclusive of mental, the 
same number ; submental plates two pairs, the first pair long and narrow, 
the last pair short and posteriorly broad and truncated. Nostiils situated 
toward the anterior third of the nasal plate, broad and semicircular superiorly, 
narrow and pointed inferiorly. Eyes small and convex, pupil oval and ver- 
tical. Teeth few, small, conical, and exist only towards the angle of the 
mouth ; the gular teeth, formed by the elongated inferior spinous processes 
of the hinder cervical vertebrae, seven in number {fig- d.), they are inclined 
forwards, and each projects about half a line into the oesophageal canal 
through a small hole in its tunics ( Jig . e.), the point of each is armed with 
enamel. In the specimen described (two feet five inches in length), these teeth 
commence exactly 2£ inches behind the apex of the lower jaw. Scales of the 
body and tail imbricate ; those of the former, narrow, ovate, strongly carinated, 
and disposed in regular oblique rows ; those of the tail, broader and shoiter, 
carinated strongly like those of the body, but not arranged in such regular 
rows ; the scales of the row next to the abdominal plates are shorter and much 
broader than the other scales of the body, but, like them, strongly carinated. 
The scales at the middle of the body are arranged in 24 longitudinal rows. 
Abdominal plates, 218; subcaudal scales, 92 pairs. Length from nose to 
anus, 2 feet ; from anus to tail, 5 inches. 
This snake occurs in the south-eastern districts of the Cape Colony, and also in Kaffirland, 
and is frequently found concealed under the loose bark of dead trees. Collectors should 
always remove the hark of trees under such circumstances, as they will often find inside of 
it, not only reptiles, hut also other objects of great interest. Three species of this group have 
come under my observation; two of them, this and Dasypeltis scaber, ( Coluber scaler, Lin.) 
are inhabitants of Southern Africa ; the other, Dasypeltis faciatus* is found in Sierra Leone. 
The first of the three (D. scaber) which came under my notice feeds on eggs, and as 
the other two have a like organization, I presume they exist on similar food. In 1829, 
* Head small and quadrangular ; hind-head not broader than the neck. Body nearly of equal 
thickness, and slightly compressed. Scales oval and strongly carinate. Teeth minute and thin y 
set; gular teeth short, and about two inches behind the apex of the lower jaw. Colour ot Dead 
and anterior parts of body above dirty orange- coloured brown faintly clouded with irty w nti, o 
posterior parts chcstnut-brown barred narrowly with pale buff-orange. Abdominal plates 3 ; sub- 
caudal scales 71 pairs ; rows of scales at middle of body 20. Length from nose to anus inches ; from 
anus to point of tail 4 inches. 
