550 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP [Dec, 



head not distinct, smaller than thickest part of body. Ventrals 

 two hundred and thirty to two hundred and sixty. Anal entire; 

 subcaudals forty to forty-six pairs; tail about one-fifteenth of entire 

 length. Individually, the head scaleation of each specimen varies 

 from the type, as follows: 



No. 1. Prefrontals fused with internasals, in contact with second 

 labial, separated from orbit by a single preocular; parietals extend 

 behind postoculars to fifth labial, separated from sixth by first 

 temporal; chin shields two pairs. 



No. 2. Prefrontals two, not fused with internasals, laterally in 

 contact with second labial, separated from orbit by a single preocular; 

 right parietal in slight contact with fifth labial behind orbit, left 

 completely separated by first temporal. 



No. 3. Prefrontals two, not fused with internasals, laterally in contact 

 with second labial, separated from orbit by a single preocular; parietals 

 in contact with fifth labial behind orbit; chin shields two pairs. 



No. 4. Juvenile, size small. Right prefrontal partly fused with 

 internasal, both in contact with second labial, separated from orbit 

 by a single preocular; parietals in contact with fifth labial behind 

 orbit; chin shields three pairs. 



No. 5. Juvenile, small size. Both prefrontals fused with inter- 

 nasals, in contact with second labial, entering orbit on left side, 

 separated on right by a single preocular: parietals in contact with 

 fifth labial behind orbit; chin shields three pairs. 



No. 6. Juvenile, small size. Prefrontals fused with internasals, 

 in contact with second labial, separated from orbit by a small pre- 

 ocular; parietals in contact with fifth labial behind the eye; chin 

 shields two pairs. 



The preocular is absent and the anterior orbital boundary is 

 formed by the fused internasal-prefrontal in the type and one 

 specimen only of ten in the Academy's collection, so that the chief 

 point of diagnosis in this variety is the replacement of the loreal 

 by either the downward curving of the normal prefrontal or the 

 fused prefrontal-internasal, plus the postocular contact of the 

 parietals with the fifth labials. 



The color scheme strongly suggests that this reptile is derived 

 from some member of the Ophibolus group, as the marking and color 

 are almost identically those of Ophibolus calligaster, but the fused 

 and unstable scaleation of the head are evidence of degeneration and 

 make it impossible to determine the probable line of descent. 



December 19. 



The President, Samuel G. Dixon, M.D., LL.D., in the Chair. 



Twenty-eight persons present. 



The death of Sir Joseph Hooker, a Correspondent, December 11, 

 1911,. was announced. 



The following were ordered to be published : 



