NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 295 



Mirador, Vera Cruz. As suggested in these Proceedings for 1859, p. 339, this 

 species does not belong to the Atropos of Wagler. 



There is a superciliary plate, much encroached upon by the scales of the 

 vertex. The description in the Erpetologie Generale is applicable to our spe- 

 cimens, but the coloration of the plate is slightly incorrect. The dark 

 brown dorsal rhombs are occasionally isolated. 



Bothriechis brachvstoma Cope. Tcleuraspis Castelnaui et var. brachystoma 

 Cope, Pr. A. N. S. 1859, p. 339. Ibid. 1860, p. 72. 



This species is not Bothrops Castelnaui of the Erpetologie Generale, as we 

 had been led to believe, through the insufficiency of the brief description in 

 that work. An examination of Prof. Jan's synopsis in Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 

 1859, p. 155, shows it to be similar to the B. nummifer, but as I have 

 failed to find any description of the latter, I have retained the name given as 

 above. 



Scales of the vertex, front, and temporal regions, keeled. Canthus rostralis 

 prominent, acute, bordered by three scales on each side. Muzzle recurved, 

 rostral plate high. Superior labials normally ten, rarely nine or eight. Sec- 

 ond separated by a plate from postnasal, and with the third by granulations 

 from the fossette. Fourth and fifth largest, separated by one row of scales 

 from subocular granulations. Twelve to fourteen inferior labials. Dorsal 

 scales in twenty-five rows, all keeled but the first. Tail short, quite slender, 

 terminated by a small corneous appendage, which is compressed, grooved 

 upon each side, each moiety inflated, the inferior most produced. Total length 

 13 in. 9 lin., tail 1 in. 5 1. 



Ground color above, gray or fulvous brown, lightest medially. On each 

 side of the median line a series of from sixteen to twenty-one parallelogram- 

 mic brown spots, which are opposite or alternate with those of the opposite 

 side, and frequently divide into double triangles anteriorly. Two spots on 

 the third, fourth and fifth rows opposite each dorsal spot. Gastrosteges 

 and throat clouded and punctulated with brown. Head above and jaws 

 dark brown ; a light band back of the eye. In the type of var. brachys- 

 toma, the superior labials are abnormally nine, the upper and lower labials 

 and geneial region brownish black ; on the inferior labials three light spots, 

 the two anterior continuous from the eye, the posterior prolonged on the 

 neck,, forming a light band. A specimen in the Mus. Smithsonian from La 

 Union, Guatemala, from Capt. Jno. M. Dow, is similar to the last, except in 

 having ten labials, four scales bordering the canthus rostralis on each side, 

 twenty-eight pairs of spots, and gastrosteges broadly bordered with brown. 

 Sm. No. 4950. 



Bothrops a t r o x Wagler. 



Specimens in Mus. Smithsonian from Greytown, Central America, Dr. Cald- 

 well, donor, and from Mirador, Vera Cruz, from Dr. C. Sartorius. The latter 

 is the most northern locality yet recorded for this widely distributed species. 

 The specimen is half grown, of a mouse color, with about twenty-one pairs 

 of brown triangular spots, sometimes alternate, sometimes confluent on the me- 

 dian line. Sides of the head and throat yellow. Scale-pores not discover, 

 able. 



Najid^e. 



Elaps e 1 e g a n s Jan. 



A beautiful specimen of this species from Mirador, Dr. Sartorius' Coll., in 

 Mus. Smithsonian, exactly as figured and described by Prof. Jan. Some 

 naturalists appear recently to have become convinced of the specific identity 

 of the forms of Elaps from corallinus to fulvus. We are of opinion 

 that a similar relation will be found to exist between corallinus and 1 e m- 



1861.] 



