493 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



les lames, ordinairement repliees sur elles memes, se seraient, pour ainsi dire, 

 ecartes 1'une de l'autre, et etalees ici en une sorte depallette. C'est du moins, 

 la disposition que nous avons observee sur nos deux especes de Cuba." From 

 my own observations I arrive at the conclusion, that all the species possess 

 claws, which are directed obliquely inward between superior and inferior ex- 

 pansions of the digital epidermis : and that the ordinary corneous sheath (. e., 

 "les lames ordinairement repliees sur elles memes") exists, and cannot be said 

 to be represented by the larainre of the pallet. 



Authors generally state, that the iris does not contract the orifice of the 

 pupil, and this is reasonably to be inferred from an examination of specimens 

 in alcohol. Mr. Gosse, however, relates that the pupil of S. richardsonii 

 became constricted when exposed to the sunlight; the only specimen of S. 

 alo p ex which I have seen (in alcohol) exhibits this form of pupil in a moderate 

 degree 



Dr. Giinther has observed a spine upon the superior border of the eyelid in 

 S. macrolepis. I have not been able to find other notice of this peculi- 

 arity. It appears to be almost a generic character, being doubtfully wanting* 

 in S. richardsonii only. 



The following synopsis will, perhaps, improve the state of knowledge re- 

 garding the forms of this genus: 



I, Dorsal scales rounded, smooth, small. 

 S. sputator, Cuv. 



Labial plates j . Light brown, (greenish upon the dorsal region in life, 

 according to MncLeay,) with ten broad, transverse, brown bands, paler medi- 

 ally, of which three are upon the body. Two light lines upon the front, which 

 converge and unite upon the muzzle. Beneath gray. Tail shorter than the 

 body. 



Ilab. Cuba. Mus. Washington, Philadelphia. 



S. cine re us, MacLeay. 



? S. punctatissimus, Dum. et Bibr. 

 5 

 Labial plates -j . Tail longer than the body. Light gray rufous above, 

 unicolor or puuctulated with white, often most abundantly upon the head. A 

 little paler beneath. I cannot distinguish specifically Cuban and Haytian in- 

 dividuals. 



Mus. Philadelphia, Washington, Cambridge. 



II. Dorsal scales flat, keeled. 



^Lateral dorsal scales similar to the median. 



a. Dorsal scales smaller than the ventral. 



b. Inferior labials (anterior to posterior border of orbit) five ; muzzle less acute. 



S. a r g u s, Gosse. 



Above purplish brown, sparsely dotted with white ocelli, which have dark 

 borders. They are sometimes arranged in transverse series, sometimes longi- 

 tudinally confluent on the head, forming bands, sometimes almost entirely 

 wanting on the body or tail. Dorsal scales of medium size, nearly similar to 

 those ofS. oxyrhinus; irregular series of them lighter than others, form- 

 ing an indistinct pattern of angulated lines. 



Bab. Jamaica. Mus. Washington, Philadelphia. 



* Its absence in the plate 24, fig. 30, Rept. U. S. and Mex. Bound. Surv. of S. no ta- 

 ! u s, is an omission of the artist. 



[Dec. 



