484 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



covered with scales ; palate without teeth, with a triangular excavation ; 

 auricular openings ; four extremities each with four toes ; scales smooth, 

 neither femoral or praeanal pores ; palpebral circle, more or less complete. It 

 will be observed that these characters are precisely the same as those of the 

 genus Ablepharus of Fitzinger, as given by D. & B., except that the number 

 of fingers and toes is four instead of five. 



Gen. Blephakactisis nob. 

 Blepharactisis speciosa nob. 



Spec. char. An internasal, two fronto-nasals, a small frontal, a large inter- 

 parietal, two parietals ; color dark olive above, with two dark lateral stripes, 

 one on each side ; under parts lighter. Total length 1^ inches ; of head and 

 body 8 lines. 



Habitat. Nicaragua. Two specimens. 



OPHIDIANS. 



Syncranterid^. 



Leptophis Bell. 



Leptophis margaritiferus D. & B., torn. vii. p. 539. 



Herpetodryas margaritiferus Schlegel, Essai la Physionomie des Serpens, 

 torn. i. p. 151, and torn. ii. p. 184. Two specimens. 



Fam. Calamarid^e. 



Lioninia nob. 



Gen. Char. Frontal stout, hexagonal, somewhat longer than broad; nostrils 

 between two plates ; no frenal, one preocular, two postoculars ; seven superior 

 labials, the eye resting on the third and fourth; pupil round ; scales smooth, 

 quadrangular ; tail quite stout, with bifid scutes. Size that of a Calamarian ; 

 palatine as well as mandibular teeth apparently of equal length. 



Lioninia vermiformis nob. 



Spec. char. Color whitish above, with numerous small brown spots formed 

 by. a series of black spots, occupying each scale ; in some specimens a narrow 

 black dorsal line, extending from the occiput as far as the extremity of the tail ; 

 in others this line is quite indistinct; a spot or blotch upon the occiput, of the 

 same color as that of" the body; head brown above, lighter upon the snout; 

 under parts of animal white. Total length, 5 inches, 1 line; tail 8 lines. Ab. 

 scut. 122 ; a single preanal ; subcaud. 26. 



Habitat. Nicaragua ; 3 specimens. 



Gen. remarks. In the arrangement of the plates upon the head, this genus 

 resembles very closely Streptophorus, but the form of the scales is quite 

 different, which in the latter genus are more or less carinated. It belongs 

 to the family of Calamarians, as defined by Dumeril & Bibron, viz.: Body very 

 slender, rounded, and about the same thickness from the head to the tail. E. G. 

 tome vii. p. 48. It differs, however, from each of the nine- genera of which 

 that family is composed. In Calamaria and Rhabdosoma, the nostrils open in 

 a single scale, as well as in Rabdion, Homalosoma and Carphophis. In Elapoidis, 

 the scales are carinated. In Aspidura, the urostega are in a single row. 



Stenocephalia. (Serpens Opistoglyphes) D. $ B. 



Gen. Coniophanes Hallowell. 



Char. Head very much flattened, pupil round, supraciliaries not projecting; 

 nostril in a single plate ; a postnasal about twice as high as it is long ; a 

 somewhat quadrangular frenal; one antocular, two postoculars; a single 



[Oct- 



