NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 243 



color of our specimens is light brown, crossed by numerous bands or elongated 

 spots of deep brown bordered with paler. Sides and belly spotted with the 

 same. 



The specimen of S. ventral is sent to the Smithsonian Institution by Dr. 

 Sartorius corresponds with the description in the Erpetologie Generale in 

 nearly every respect. The color is, however, a very deep slate above, so that 

 the transverse spots are scarcely visible. The gastrosteges are much clouded 

 with slate, and the longitudinal markings are also indistinct. Chin and lower 

 labial plates tinged with bright yellow. There is no specimen of this species 

 in the Academy Museum. 



87. S. quinquelineata nobis. Microphis quinquelineatus, Hallow. Proc. 

 Acad. Nat. Sci. 1854, p. 97. 



Two specimens. Honduras. Dr. S. W. Woodhouse. 



This is the species figured in the Brp. Generale, plate 70, as Stenorhioa F r e- 

 m i n v i 1 1 e i. In that figure the loreal plate is distinctly and correctly repre- 

 sented, though the description of that species and diagnosis of the genus would 

 lead one to infer its absence. Is it not possible that the specimen figured by 

 the learned herpetologists may belong to a different species from that which 

 they regard as typical of the Freminvillei? 



Rhinostoma* Fitz. Type R. n a s u u m . 



Neue Classification, 1826, p. 56. Dum. & Bibr. vii. p. 992. 



88. R. n a s u u m Wagl. 



One sp. Surinam. Dr. Hering 



89. R. Guntheri nobis. Head depressed, rather wider than the neck. 

 Posterior angle of the rostral plate a right-angle. Anterior frontals forming 

 a short suture with each other ; posterior frontals forming no suture, their tips 

 only in contact, so that their posterior borders are diagonally continuous with 

 the posterior borders of the anterior frontals. Vertical plate presenting a 

 right angle anteriorly ; its superciliary border shortest of all. Occipitals 

 shorter than vertical, each bounded by one large and five small temporals. 



*Gvalopion nobis. Form stout; tail one-eighth of total length Head slightly 

 distinct, large, depressed. Rostral plate acute; its anterior border elevated ; its upper 

 surface concave. It is produced backwards, separating the prefontals, not reaching the 

 vertical. Frontals, two pair. Nasal confounded with the first labial, a groove from 

 the nostril to the suture of the second labial. No loreal, its place supplied by the post 

 frontal. One pre- two postoculars. Scales smooth ; anal and eubcaudal scutellae divided. 

 Teeth small, of equal lengths. Pupil round. 



P. c a n u m nobis. Prefrontals triangular, not larger than preoculars. Postoculars of 

 equal size. Anterior border of vertical not angulated. Occipitals as broad as long, 

 truncate posteriorly. Superior labials seven, eye over third and fourth. Inferior labials 

 seven, fourth largest. Geneials one pair, very short. Scales in seventeen longitudinal 

 rows, nearly square. Gastroteges 130 ; one anal ; urosteges 28. Total length 7 in. 

 6 lin. ; tail 11 lin. 



Coloration. Above brownish grey, crossed by thirty-one irregular transverse brown 

 bands. These are from one to three scales wide on ihe back, and extend to the gas- 

 troteges. Anteriorly they exhibit a tendency to divide into a dorsal and two lateral 

 series of spots. Eight transverse spots on the tail. First spot on the neck large, 

 produced medially to the occipitals. A brown band extends from one angle of the 

 mouth to the other across the occipitals, involving the tip of the vertical. Another 

 brown band commences upon the upper borders of the lower labial shields, passes 

 through the eye, and crosses the anterior parts of superciliaries and vertical, and 

 posterior parts of postfrontals and rostral. Dirty yellowish beneath, and upon the first 

 row of scales. One specimen (No. 4675,) in the National Museum, Washington, dis- 

 covered near Ft. Buchanan, Arizona, by Dr. Irwin. It is an extraordinary serpent, re- 

 sembling, at first sight, a diminutive Heterodon. 



I860.] 



