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Show 20 DR. J. ANDERSON ON MAMMALS, REPTILES, [Jan. 5, Genus COZLOPELTIS, Wagler. 7. CGELOPELTIS LACERTINA, Wagler; Boulenger, loc. cit. p. 151. 1 specimen, Duirat, Tunisia. Total length 1275 millim., tail 347. Ventrals 170, subcaudals 105; 19 rows of scales. 8. CCELOPELTIS PRODUCTA, Gervais; Boulenger, loc. cit. p. 151. 2 specimens, Duirat, Tunisia. No. 1. Total length 663 millim., tail 121. Ventrals 161, subcaudals 62. No. 2. Total length 671 millim., tail 115. Ventrals 159, subcaudals 48. The first has 9 upper labials on the right side, and the normal nutn ber 8 on the left, the 5th and 6th entering the right and the 4 th and 5th the left orbit. The grooving of the scales of these specimens is very feebly indicated and in marked contrast to this character in C. lacertina. This appears to be the second record of this snake from Tunisia, the first specimen having been obtained by M . Valery-Mayet at Bou-lledma near Gafsa. The species was originally based on a specimen f.om the Sahara. Family II. VIPERID^E. Genus VIPERA, Laurenti. 9. VIPERA LEBETINA, Linnaeus; Boulenger, loc. cit. p. 154. Var. nov. DESERTI. (Plate I. figs. 6 and 7). I 2 > Duirat, Tunisia. I have no hesitation in referring this specimen to V. lebetina, but, as it is devoid of a canthus rostralis and has the scales on the head from the parietal region forwards to the rostral perfectly smooth, I regard it as a variety which I propose to call deserti. All authors who have hitherto had occasion to describe V. lebetina from Algeria have either directly or indirectly referred to the keeled character of the head-scales. Through the kind assistance of Mr. Boulenger, who examined for me the type (No. 4017) of V. mauri-tanica, Guichenot, in the Paris Museum, I have his authority for stating that the canthus rostralis of that snake is well marked, and that the interorbital scales are feebly but distinctly keeled. It has no large supraoculars, and the rostral is a little higher than broad. It is a female with 163 ventrals and 50 caudals. Another and young specimen, No. 4016 of Guichenot's Collection, is the same as the preceding, but with the canthus rostralis less distinctly marked. It has 166 ventrals and 39 cauJals. I have examined all the specimens of V. lebetina in the British Museum, and I give the leading details regarding them in the following table, and for comparison I have added in the last column those yielded by this variety. |
