524 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OF 



diameter of the eye is greater than the distance from its anterior border to the 

 end-of the muzzle ; it enters the length of the head 3^ times. The proportions 

 of the fins are similar to those in erythrogaster, excepting in the absence 

 of one ray in the anal, and two in the caudal. The formula is D. 8, C. 18, A. 8, 

 V. 8, P. 16. Of the five larger pharyngeal teeth the smallest is much hooked. In 

 specimens 2\ inches long taken in September, the abdomen was yellowish sil- 

 very as far as the inferior lateral line ; above this the tint was brownish vitel- 

 line, darkest superiorly. No silvery between the bands. 



In presenting to the Academy a specimen of Phalotris tricolor (Elapomor- 

 phus tricolor D. and B.,) from Paraguay, Mr. Cope took occasion to state that in 

 his opinion Elapomorphus as left in the Erpetologie Generale was a union of 

 three generic forms, which he stated to be the following. First Elapomorphus, 

 having four frontal plates ; species, E. b 1 u m i i, E. a f f i n i s Rhdt., E. w u c h- 

 e r e r i Gthr.; second Phalotris, in which the post-frontals are confluent,* species, 

 P. t r ic o 1 o r, P. lemniscatus, P. r e t i c u 1 a t u s Peters sp. and P. b i 1 i- 

 n eat us; third, Apostolepis, in which the prefontals are obliterated ; species, A. 

 lepida Rhdt. sp., A. flavotorquata and A. orbignyi. Prof. Rein- 

 hardt had subsequently, very properly in Mr. Cope's opinion, placed the E. 

 gabonensis Dum. in his genus Urobelus, (the African type,) with the U. 

 acanthias of Kroyer. 



The obtuse tail, and peculiar frontal plates of Apostolepis, were observed in 

 the genus Sympholis Cope. But the latter differed widely in its equal, groove- 

 less teeth, its loreal plate approaching the orbit, and its nasal confluent with 

 with the first superior labial. The tail was shorter and more obtuse, the body 

 more massive, the gastrosteges narrower, one small preocular above the loreal, 

 one or no postocular. The eye very small, the muzzle prominent, obtuse, and 

 furnished with a large rostral shield. No traces of scale pores, or posterior 

 extremities. Urosteges two-rowed. He thought this singular form bore some 

 affinity to Stenorhina, and perhaps to Conopsis, Gthr., which he had not seen. 

 S. 1 i p p i e n s had been sent from Guadalaxara, Mexico, by Mr. I. I. Major, to the 

 Smithsonian Institution. The following diagnostic notice was offered : five sepa- 

 rate upper labials, all higher than long except the last ; the first two in contact 

 with the orbit. Third and fourth separated from occipital by one temporal. 

 Each of the latter is a little longer than broad, and has its external anterior 

 angle cut off by suture. The place of a superior postocular is occupied by a 

 process of the superciliary; the inferior is on one side supplanted by the second 

 superior labial. Superciliary plate as broad as the vertical ; the latter is elon- 

 gate hexagonal, the anterior and posterior angles equal and right. The frontals 

 heptagonal, broad as long ; rostral prominent, depressed, angular posteriorly. 

 Scales higher than long, in nineteen rows. Tail scarcely twice as long as head, 

 terminating in a convex shield. Anal plate entire. Total length 20 in. 9 lin., 

 color yellow, with eighteen black bands on the body more or less incomplete 

 inferiority, iwo on the tail, and one covering the muzzle to behind the eyes. 



The same locality and explorer had furnished the fifth species of Coniophanes, 

 C. 1 a t e r i t i u s, which Mr. Cope exhibited to the members. The coloration was 

 brilliant and at once characterized it. The whole body was bright vermillion 

 punctulated with brown, passing through orange to golden on the belly. The 

 head, and neck for ten scales posteriorly were black, the labials bordered and 

 traversed by yellow lines, and the occipitals dotted with the same. Throat and 

 chin yellow, black spotted. The head was broad posteriorly, and the outline 

 converged rapidly to the acute prominent muzzle. Loreal square ; one pre-, 

 two postoculars. Seven upper labials, eye over third and fourth, fifth very 

 large. Ten inferior labials. Scales in nineteen rows. Vertical plate nearly 

 as broad as long. Anal divided. Total length 24 in. 3 lines, of this the tail is 

 seven inches. 



*Vid. Pr. A.N. S. 1861,p. 302 



[Dec. 



