Page:Travels in West Africa, Congo Français, Corisco and Cameroons (IA travelsinwestafr00kingrich).pdf/753



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Dipsadoboa assimilis, Matschie, SB. Ges. naturf. Fr. Berl. 1893, p. 173 (Togoland) ; Bocage, Jorn. Sc. Lisb. iv. 1895, p. 17.

The specimen obtained at Lambarene agrees better with D. assimilis than with D. unicolor with regard to the number and disposition of the labial shields.

Professor Bocage refers his specimens from Fernando Po also to D. assimils, whilst, singularly enough, I have now some evidence that the type of D. unicolor came from the same island, as I received some years ago a specimen from Fernando Po which is identical with D. unicolor. Therefore, as far as our present experience goes, both D. unicolor and assimilis (if they are really distinct) would seem to occur in Fernando Po, while the former does not extend on to the mainland.

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Atheris anisolepis, Mocquard, Bull. Soc. Philom. 1887, p. 90.

Atheris læviceps, Boettger, Zool. Anz, x. p. 651; Ber, Senckenlb, Ges 1888, p. 92, tab. ii. fig. 7 (head).

An adult specimen from Lambarene. The specimens from which Boettger took his description came from Banana (Congo delta). The principal distinctive characters of this species are, in my opinion, the number and size of scales and the two series of suboculars, rather than the degree of carination of some of the scales on the crown of the head, which depends on age.

Thanks to the kindness of Professor L. Vaillant and Dr. Jentink I have been able, by a re-examination of the typical specimens described by Schlegel and Mocquard, to form a definite opinion as to the species of Atheris which deserve recognition. They are the following:— indent=2|hanging-indent=2em|

1. A. sguamigera, Hallowell,=A. subocularis, Fisch., probably=A. Burtonii, Gthr. With 17 (in A. Burtonii with 19) series of scales; only one row of minute subocular scales (exceptionally partly confluent with upper labials).

2. A. anisolepis, Mocquard (1887),=A. læviceps, Boettger (1887),=A. chloroechis, Boettg., part. With 22-25 series of scales; two rows of minute suboculars, the lower row sometimes incomplete, but always indicated by several scales.