64 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



DESCRIPTION OF SOME SPECIES OF REPTILES OBTAINED BY DR. JOHN 

 F. BRANSFORD, ASSISTANT SURGEON UNITED STATES NAVY, WHILE 

 ATTACHED TO THE NICARAGUAN SURVEYING EXPEDITION IN 1873. 



BY EDWARD D. COPE, A.M. 



The collection, though not large, embraces a number of inter- 

 esting new and rare species besides those usually obtained in the 

 region of Nicaragua. The whole number is twenty-eight, distri- 

 buted as follows: serpents 12, lizards 9, tortoise 1, and Batrachia 

 6. Several interesting points in geographical distribution are 

 established. I have added descriptions of three new snakes, one 

 from near the same, and two from more southern localities. 



OPHIDIA. 



PlioceroTis dimidiatus, Cope. 

 Ophibolus micropholis, Cope. 

 Spilotes puUatus, L. var. 



Of the typical form ; scales in fifteen or sixteen rows, the outer 

 smaller, several median considerably enlarged, the more central 

 only faintly keeled; generally biporous. Only seven superior 

 labials, the e^ye over the fourth and chiefly the fifth ; sixth and 

 seventh much enlarged, and nearly reaching the parietal shield, 

 being only separated by a single narrow temporal each. Orbitals 

 1-2, the anterior nearly reaching the frontal. Loreal small, longer 

 than high ; nasals two, quite elongate. Frontal longer than wide, 

 with broad front and concave sides. Parietals wide, truncate, 

 followed by four scuta, the two outer the larger. Temporals 1-1 

 or 1-1-1. Inferior labials eight or nine, separated from the ante- 

 rior gastrosteges by two rows of elongate scales on each side, in 

 continuation of the geneials. 



The general form is elongate ; head a long oval ; muzzle not 

 prominent. Gastrosteges 220; an entire anal; mosteges 118. 



General color black ; near the middle of the length yellow spots 

 appear at intervals on the belly, and increase in extent and fre- 

 quenc}^ until they occupy most of the space anteriorly. On the 

 upper surface a few 3'ellow spots appear at remote intervals on 

 the anterior half. A yellow band extends across the occiput 

 from angle to angle of the mouth, and one across behind the or- 



