NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 4S9 



middle dorsal rows larger than the others ; twenty-three rows of scales upon 

 the middle of the body, eight near the origin of the tail. Color olive in spirits, 

 probably green during life ; abdomen and under part of tail green. 



Dimensions. Length of head 13 lines ; breadth posteriorly 6 ; length of back 

 and body 2 feet, 9 inches ; of tail 12 inches, 8 lines. Total length 4 feet ; 

 circumference of body at middle 2 inches. Ab. scut. 236 j 1 bifid praeanal ; 

 146 urostega. 



Habitat. Gaspar Straits. One specimen. 



Proteroglyphes Platycerques D. 3f B. 

 Platcru8 fasciatus Latreille. One fine specimen. Black bands complete ; 

 larger considerably upon the back than abdomen ; a white spot on each side of 

 the occipitals. Aricamote of the Tahitians. Captured in Bananas Bay, Tahiti, 

 March 19th, 1855. Presented by Mr. Adams, of Papete. Total length 2 feet, 7 

 inches ; of tail 8 inches; circumference 2 inches, 8 lines. 



Platurus fasciatds Var. 

 Char. Snout black ; extremity of tail black ; forty complete black bands upon 

 the body; besides three incomplete upon the neck; six complete black bands 

 upon the tail ; three and a-half rows of scales in black bands upon the back, 

 and one and a-half in the white interspace. Total length 1 foot, 9 J inches. The 

 largest specimen measures 3 feet, 9 inches in length and 6 inches in circumference. 

 The tail measures 4i inches in length by 1} inches in height at its base. The 

 coloration corresponds with that of the plate of Hydrophis colubrina, in 

 the Fauna Japonica. The abdomen, chin and throat are ochraceous throughout, 

 the bands having disappeared entirely from the belly; 23 rows of, scales near 

 the middle of the body; chin and throat covered with scales; ab. scuta. 198, 

 of which the 4 last are bifid ; 32 bifid urostega. Besides the above there are 

 two other specimens, from Cleopatra Island, more fully grown, one completely 

 adult. (Hydrophis colubrina SchlegePs Fauna Japonica, tab. 10). The only 

 difference which I observe between the latter and Prof. Schlegel's specimen, is 

 that the scales in the latter do not appear to be quite so broad. The markings 

 in the two specimens before us are quite different from those of the younger 

 ones, in which the black and white bands are very distinct and complete, 

 encircling the whole body ; but in the one which may be nearly half grown, they 

 are so only upon the tail and the posterior part of the body, the abdomen being 

 of a dull, ochraceous yellow in the greater part of its extent, as well as the neck 

 and throat, somewhat deeper brown opposite the bands ; the length of this 

 specimen is 2 feet, 9^ inches ; circumference 3 inches, 3 lines ; the extremity 

 of fhe tail is black ; 6 complete bands upon the tail. 



Two other specimens of this variety are in the collection, from Loo-Choo, 

 younger than either of the others. In the smaller, which measures 1 foot, 2 

 inches in length, and 8 lines only in circumference, the black rings are of nearly 

 equal iengthupon the back and abdomen, being very closely approximated in 

 the latter position ; the very tip of the tail in the smallest specimen is white. 

 The specimen marked 243, taken by Capt. Stevens, at Cleopatra Island (north 

 of Ousima), May, 1855. 



Pblamis Daudin. 



Pelamis bicolor Daudin. One specimen. 



Habitat. Tahiti. 



New Holland. 



SA UR1A. 



Lepidosaurian or Scincoid Lizards. 

 Saurophthalmes D. & B. 

 Lygosoma Gray. 

 Lygosoma Guichenoti D. & B. 



I860.] 



