22 
appendix. 
CYRTOPHIS, Sundemall, n. g. 
Ch. Gen. Head short and deep. Nose covered anteriorly by a very large raised rostral plate. 
No frenal plate. Nostril formed by naso-rostral and three smaller plates. Preocular plate, one ; post- 
ocular plates, three. Body subcylindrical. Scales of body subcarinated, and arranged m oblique, 
transverse rows. Scuta of abdomen narrow and very long. Tail short and tapered. Pupil circular. 
Teeth — one poison fang in each side of maxilla ; the palatal teeth small and numerous. 
CYRTOPHIS SCUTATUS, Sundemall. 
Head subcordifonn, slightly broader than the neck. Body subcylindrical. Abdomen rather 
full and broad. Tail short, tapered, and pointed. The upper and lateral parts of the head are convex ; 
the hinder surface flat. The rostral plate is somewhat cordiform, very large, and, to appearance, loosely 
attached to the other parts of the head ; its edges project laterally in front of the naso-rostral plates, 
and its apex is in contact with the ffonto-nasal plates. Naso-rostral plates small and triangular, the 
outer edge of each forms the upper margin of the nostril ; the remainder of nostril formed of three 
plates, an anterior, posterior, and middle, the latter small, the others lengthened vertically ; fronto- 
nasal plates somewhat five-sided. Frontal-plate six-sided, approaching to cordiform. Occipital plates 
irregularly five-sided. Palpebral plate broad posteriorly, narrow and pointed anteriorly. Preocular 
plate quadrangular; postocular plates four-sided and small. Plates of upper lip six, the fifth and last 
divergent, to admit of the lodgment between them of the lower edge of large cheek plate. Plates of 
lower lip seven, exclusive of mental; the latter small and triangular. Submental plates two pairs; 
a few small scales between them and the first abdominal shield. Scales of body, along centre of 
back, subrhomboidal, more laterally subovate, and arranged in oblique transverse rows, 19 scales in 
each row. Towards and on the tail the scales are distinctly keeled towards their base, elsewhere they 
appear smooth ; but were the outer covering present, they would also be slightly keeled. Abdominal 
plates narrow, and very long, especially at the throat, which is very full. The upper and lateral parts 
of the head, the back, the sides, and the tail, superiorly straw-yellow (perhaps red, when alive) 
variegated with liver-brown. The variations are a large cordiform blotch on the upper surface of" the 
head, with a prolongation at its base, on each side, which extends to the angle of the mouth, a spot on 
the upper lip, immediately below the eye, a stripe on the lower lip, near the angle of the mouth ; an 
irregular ring round the neck, widest superiorly ; a large oval blotch bifid posteriorly on vertebral 
line ; a series of small, somewhat circular freckled spots along the middle of the back and tail, and 
a number of very short lines on each side. Under parts cream-yellow. Abdominal plates, 135 ; 
subcaudal scales, 2d pairs. Length from nose to base of tail, 6 inches 9 lines ; length of tail 1 inch. 
Inhabits Kaflirland and the country towards Port Natal. 
BATRACHIA. 
RANA FUSCIGULA, Bum. et Bib. Erpet. General, tom. viii. p. 386. 
Common throughout the whole of Southern Africa, and is generally observed near rivers, lakes, 
or marshy grounds. If disturbed while on land, it immediately i‘etreats to the watei, and individual 
