Oct. 1847.] 279 



plates ; of these the vertical is pentagonal ; the occipital are also pentagonal, 

 their anterior margins heing in contact with the vertical, supra-orbitar, and 

 superior post-occular plates ; the supra-orbitar are pentangular, and in contact 

 posteriori/ with the occipital and posterior superior post-oculars, internally with 

 the vertical, and anteriorly with the posterior frontal ; their external margin 

 forms the upper part of the orbit, and is in contact in front with the superior 

 ante-ocular ; they do not project beyond the eye ; the posterior frontal are 

 quadrilateral ; the anterior frontal are smaller than those last described ; their 

 external and posterior angle is somewhat prolonged, passing in between the 

 frenal and the posterior frontal plate ; their anterior margin is rounded ; then- 

 are two ante-ocular, and two post-oculars, of the posterior the superior is the 

 larger ; the frenal plate is quadrilateral ; the nasal is single ; the nostril, which 

 is small, is placed near the posterior margin ; the rostral plate is hexagonal, 

 incurvated below ; it is in contact with the anterior frontal, the nasal and the an- 

 terior labials ; in the specimen examined there are six superior labials on one 

 side and seven upon the opposite side of the head, exclusive of the rostral ; 

 of these the fifth is the largest ; it is oblong quadrilateral ; eyes of moderate 

 size, placed upon the side of the head ; neck slender, body rounded, contracted 

 near the anus, thickest near the middle, covered with carinated scales ; of these 

 there are fifteen rows ; these scales are bi-punctate posteriorly ; the interven- 

 ing epidermis is black ; tail short and tapering to a point. 



Colour. Head brown above; irides . An ash-coloured band extends along 



the dorsum, beginning at the occiput ; it is narrow upon the neck, and broadest 

 near the middle of the animal, where it measures one line and a quarter in 

 breadth ; it becomes narrow upon the tail, and is finally lost towards its ex- 

 tremity ; two longitudinal bands of a reddish-brown colour extend along each 

 side from the neck to the tail, the superior along the external margin of the 

 ash-coloured dorsal band, the inferior along the lateral margin of the abdominal 

 scuta ; there is an intermediate band of the same colour, but less distinct ; the 

 spaces intervening between the bands are light brown ; the chin is white, pre- 

 senting numerous small conglomerate spots of a black colour upon its surface ; 

 the throat is also white, with blackish points, most numerous upon its sides ; 

 the neck, abdomen and under part of tail are of a brick-red colour ; lighter 

 upon the neck ; an ash-coloured band, resembling that upon the back, extends 

 along each side of the neck, and of the abdomen as far as the tail. 



Dimensions. Length of head 4 lines ; greatest breadth 2 lines ; length of 

 body 9 inches, (Fr.) of tail, 2 inches 5 lines. 



Abdomen. Scuta 122. Subcaud. 41. 



Habitat. Michigan, near Copper Harbour, Lake Superior. This species 

 was fojind by Mr. Theodore F. Moss, between stones upon the border of the 

 lake, and presented by him to the Acadamy of Natural Sciences. The speci- 

 men had been preserved in alcohol two weeks. 



No animal resembling the one I have described is figured in Prof. Holbrook's 

 work on the "Reptiles inhabiting the United States," and I have therefore 

 ventured to consider it as new. 



Since the figure of this animal was printed, I have received, through the 



38 



