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Show 1887.] MR. E. SYMONDS ON SOUTH-AFRICAN SNAKES. 487 The Dutch give them the name of " Cobra Papl;" others call them "Mole-vreter." I think they are harmless. In this specimen a small gland, solid, about the size of a small pea, was found just under the skin at the posterior end of the upper maxilla on both sides. A second specimen.-Length 4 feet 10 inches; from vent to tail 12 inches. Back dark reddish brown, sides dull salmon-colour, centre of belly slate-blue ; on the sides of the belly-plates a row of dark spots; the whole skin very glossy during life. A third specimen.-Length 4 feet 7 inches; from vent to tail 10 inches. Back yellowish brown, very like the colour of sandy ground and difficult to see when the Snake is not moving, from its similarity to the soil; belly bright yellow with a pinkish tinge, and an irregular black mark down tbe centre of the belly on the upper edge of the shields; this begins 3 or 4 inches beyond the neck, becoming more and more marked towards the vent, where it becomes a narrow line on the lower edge of the shields ; beyond the vent it disappears. The shields below the vent are double, and each shield has a dark brown line at its lower edge. This colour is not common; the specimen sent was killed close to the river at Kroonstad. A fourth specimen, immature.-Length 23 inches ; vent to tail 4| inches. Back yellowish brown, with black spots forming a zigzag line down the centre of the back ; belly dirty yellow with a reddish tinge. Killed whilst going into a house in the town of Kroonstad. 2. PSAMMOPHIS CRUCIFER. Length 26^ inches; from vent to tail 6j inches. Head long, flat and small. Teeth.-Upper jaw with two rows on each side ; lower jaw with one row on each side; the exterior row on the upper jaw has the last tooth larger than the rest. Pupil circular, iris brick-red. Neck slightly narrower than the head. Colour.-Back pale olive greenish-brown, with one broad stripe down the back and a narrow stripe on each side chocolate-brown ; belly dirty white, with a few black spots extending from the neck halfway to the tail. Habits. This seems to be a kind of grass-snake and is rather common here ; it eats frogs, but, on the other hand, a specimen 181 inches long was found dead in the mouth of a large bull-frog, which much resented being done out of its meal. 3. PSAMMOPHIS SIBILANS. This species and the preceding are known here under the name of Schaaf-sticker (sheep-sticker). Length 31 inches ; from vent to tail 8 inches. |