74 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



of certain changes of nomenclature, some of which he briefly noticed. He 

 would now place as synonyms of Tantilla Baird and Girard, Homalocranium 

 Dum., and Lioninia* Hallow., excluding the species of Dumeril which possess a 

 loreal shield, under the name Scolecophis Fit.z., Scolecophis fumiccps^ Cope, 

 was Tantilla n i g r i c e p s Eenn. The appended synopsis was offered, for the 

 purpose of facilitating the recognition of the species. J 



Taeniophis imperialis|| he found to be a fourth species of Coniophanes. 

 He agreed with Dr. Girard that Taeniophis was a synonym of Dromicus ; the 

 T. vermiculaticepsTT belongs to a distinct genus but he was not prepared 

 to name it. Tropidonotus compsolcemus** Cope, he now believed to be a T. 

 compressicaudus Cope, f f with a very sligh t compression of the tall, and 

 the markings above and below obsolete. The probable identity of Trop. me- 

 dusa%% Gthr. with T. C 1 a r k i i ,|||| suggested by Prof. Baird, he had since been 

 able to verify ; a comparison, also, of Ablabes purpureocauda\\ Gthr. with Contia 

 m i t i sITir Bd. and Grd,, likewise suggested by Prof. Baird, had resulted in their 

 identification. 



In the course of an examination of the specimens collected by the North 

 Pacific Exploring Expedition, he had observed, that Lepidocephalus fascialus*** 



* Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phil., I860, p. 484. 



t Op. cit. 1860, p. 371. Locality " Cuba," probably erroneous. 



t Tantilla Bd. and Grd. Catal. Serp. Smiths. Inst. 1853, p. 131. 



I. One postocular plate. 



Superior labials seven, - -planiceps. 



Superior labials six; postnasal in contact with preocular; sym- 



physeal and geneial separated by labials gracilis. 



Superior labials six ; postfrontals in contact with labials; genials 



in contact with symphyseal, Hallow el lii. 



II. Two postoculars, (superior labials seven.) 

 ct. Body unicolor, or longitudinally banded. 



* Postfrontals widely separaied from super-labials. 

 Tad between one third and one-fourth the total length, - -reticulata. 

 Tail one-fifth the total length; postnasal equal second superior 



labial, - - - - - coronata. 



** Postfrontals in contact with, or scarcely separated from 

 superior labials. 

 A dark half-collar ; postnasal much smaller than second superior 



labial, - . - - -melanocephala. 



No dark half-collar; rostral plate prominent, acute; symphyseal 



plate in contact with geneials, - - - - - -vermiformis. 



No dark half-collar ; rostral plate obtuse ; symphyseal and geneial 



plates separated by anterior inferior labials, - -nigriceps.(a) 



0. Body semiannulate. 

 With narrow yellow bands upon black ground, - - - -laticeps. (5) 

 With black of equal breadth with the intervals of white ground, - semicincta. 



|| U. S. and Mex. Bound. Surv. Zoology, Reptiles, p. 23, pi. 19, f. 1. 



\ Herpetology of U. S. Exploring Exp. p. 161. 



\ Proc. Acad. Nat.Sci. 1860, p. 249. 

 ** Proc. Acad. Nat. l^ci. 1860, p. 368. 

 tt Nerodia rompressicauda Kenn. Op. cit. 1860, p. 335. 

 tt Catal. Brit. Mus. p. 78. 



II II Regina Clarkii, Bd. and Grd. Catal. p. 48. Mex. Bound. Surv. Reptiles, p. 17. 

 H Catal. Brit. Mus. p. 245. 

 li[ Catal Serp. Smiths. Inst. p. 110. 

 *** Proceed. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 18C0, p. 498. 



(a) Kennicott, Proc. A. N. S. I860, p. 328. (b) Gunther, P. Z. S. 1860, p. 240. 



[April, 



