NAIA ANGUSTICEPS.
broad; occipital plates large, oblong, and broadest anteriorly, each in front
wo-sided, externally somewhat three-sided; nasal plate quadrangular the
upper anterior angle slightly prolonged ; naso-frenal subtriangular : frenal
wanting, its place being supplied by the lower portion of the fronto-nasal;
preocular plates three, the uppermost the largest; post-ocular plates three,
the lowermost the largest; temporal plates five, arranged in two vertical
rows, the lowermost plate of each row many-sided, with a point
descending between the labial scales. Plates of the upper lip, exclusive
of rostral, eight, the third and sixth much the largest, the latter prolonged
upwards between the lowermost post-ocular and inferior temporal plates •
plates of lower jaw, exclusive of the mental plate, nine; submental plates
two pairs, long and narrow. Scales of the neck close to the head
small and somewhat six-sided, not arranged in any regular order behind
tnose ot the body, are long, narrow, subovate, or somewhat rhomboidal, and
arranged m oblique rows ; all the scales of the back are doubly imbricate
the posterior extremity of each lying over the base of the one immediately
behind it, and the inner edge of each lying over the outer edge of the one
immediately inside of it. Each of the rows of scales on the body shew three
angles, one on each side close to abdominal plates, obtuse and directed forwards,
the third at the middle of the back acute and pointing backwards,
the scales of the tail are much shorter than those of the body, broad, rhom-
boidal and slightly imbricate. At the middle of the body there are 19 scales
m each row, and at the base of the tail 9. Abdominal plates, 210. Subcaudal
scales, 110. Length of specimen figured, from nose to anus, 4 feet 8 inches ■
from anus to point of tail, 1 foot 41 inches. Length of brown specimen referred
to, from nose to anus, 6 feet 11 inches ; from anus to extremity of tail
1 toot 81 inches. Abdominal plates, 267 ; subcaudal scales, 115.
This species occurs about Natal and in the country to the eastward, towards Delegoa
Bay. It is better fitted for climbing trees than Naia Haje, and in various respects appears
to be an aberrant species. r