BASYPELTIS INORNATIXS '
Bfiptflia,:. Hate 73.
BASYPELTIS INORNATUS.—S m i t h .
Reptilia.—P late 73.
D. supeme flavo-brunneus, infra subBavus ; dorsi squamis punctia duabns aubalbidis versus apicem
variegatis; scutis temporalibus quatuor quinqueve leevibus; squamis occipitalibus brevibus sub-»
carinatis; corporis squamis in ordinibus 24 dispositis.
Longitudo 6 nasi apice ad basin caudse 24 unc.; caudse 5 unc.
Colour.—The upper surface of the head, the back, and the sides intermediate
between OTange-coloured brown and yellowish brown, each scale of
the back marked with two minute pale white spots near the apex, one on
each side of the keel; the under parts a tint between sienna and straw-yellow.
Eyes probably bluish green.
F orm, &c.—H ead small and subquadrangular, the sides nearly perpendicular,
the nose broad and anteriorly arched, the hind-head scarcely, if at
all, wider than the neck. Body long, rather slender, and throughout nearly
of equal thickness, the back subcarinated, the belly full and convex. Tail
short, rather thick at its base, and from thence tapers suddenly to the apex,
which is aculeated. The head superiorly, flat or very slightly convex ; rostral
plate broad and subtriangular; its apex, which lies between the naso-rostral
plates, obtuse and arched ; naso-rostral and fronto-nasal plates quadrangular,
the latter largest, and the outer side of each irregular or waved; frontal
plate five-sided, anteriorly arched, the two hinder sides, which unite behind
at an acute angle, are shorter than the other sides ; occipital plates subovate,
anteriorly angular, the inner side of each long and straight, the outer side
waved and posteriorly inclined inwards, the hinder side truncated ; palpebral
plates oblong, quadrangular, and broadest behind ; nasal plates rather large,
somewhat five-sided, anteriorly truncated, posteriorly pointed; preocular
plate single, five-sided; post-ocular plates generally three, occasionally only