38 OPHIDIA. 
FICIMIA. 
Ficimia, Gray, Viper. Sn. p. 80. 
Amblymetopon, Giinth. Col. Sn. p. 7. 
Gyalopion, Cope, Proc. Ac. N. Se. Phil. 1861, p. 243. 
Body cylindrical, rather stout ; tail short ; head very short, not distinct from neck. 
Rostral shield much enlarged, in contact with or approaching the vertical shield ; its 
anterior edge is sharp and turned upwards, the upper surface of the shield being 
concave. Either there is only one pair of large frontals or their anterior portion is 
cut off, forming a pair of very small anterior frontals. Nostril between two shields, of 
which the anterior is confluent with the first labial. Scales smooth; in seventeen 
rows. Teeth subequal in size, not grooved. 
1. Ficimia olivacea. (Tab. XXXV. figg. B, C.) 
Ficimia olivacea, Gray, Viper. Sn. p. 80; Bocourt, Miss. Sc. Mex., Rept. p. 570, t. 35. figg. 11, lla; 
Garman, Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool. viii. no. 3, p. 84 (1883) ; Cope, Proc. Ac. N. Se. Phil. 
1866, p. 182; Peters, MB. Ak. Wiss. Berl. 1869, p. 875; Steindachner, SB. Wien. Akad. 
Ixii. p. 344, t. 6 (1870). 
Amblymetopon variegatum, Giinth. Col. Sn. p. 7 (young). 
Ficimia variegata, Garman, Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool. vii. no. 3, p. 84. 
Ficimia elaiocroma, Jan, Arch. per la Zool. 11. p. 58. 
Hab. Muxico, Puebla (Peters), Tuxtla (Steindachner), Orizaba and Tehuantepec (Swmi- 
chrast). 
The rostral shield forms a long suture with the vertical ; there is only one pair of 
frontals; exceptionally, a small anterior frontal may be detached on one side of the 
head. One anterior and two posterior oculars; loreal confluent with the posterior 
frontal. Seven upper labials, the third and fourth entering the orbit*. Ventrals 
149-151. Adult plain slate-coloured above, whitish below. The young is gaily orna- 
mented with black or dark brown transverse bands on the back, which, on the sides, 
break up into spots. There are from fifty-one to fifty-six of these cross-bars, two on the 
neck being broader than the remainder. The upper side of the head is ornamented 
with spots of different shapes, but symmetrically arranged. 
Fig. B represents the adult, fig. C the young of this species. The view of the head 
is enlarged. 
2. Ficimia publia. 
Ficimia publia, Cope, Proc. Ac. N. Sc. Phil. 1867, p. 126. 
Gyalopium publium, Cope, Am. Nat. 1884, p. 163. 
Ficimia ornata, Bocourt, Miss. Sc. Mex., Rept. p. 571, t. 35. figg. 10, 10 a-e. 
Hab. Mexico, Cuernavaca (Mus. Brit.), Yucatan (Mus. Brit.). 
* Dr. Gray states that in one of the typical specimens the nasal is separate from the first upper labial ; but 
this separation is only artificial. 
