320 PROCEEDINGS OE THE ACADEMY OF 



Scolecophis scytalinus sp. nov. 



Scales in seventeen rows, each nearly as broad as long, the vertebral series 

 larger than any other, but equal on anterior seventh of body. Head little 

 distinct, obtuse, muzzle broad ; frontal plate broad, anterior suture one- 

 fourth longer than lateral or posterior, length greater than common suture of 

 occipitals. Superciliary small, one narrow preocular, two subquadrate post- 

 oculars. Loreal subquadrate, nasals distinct ; rostral slightly produced 

 backwards above, internasals one-fourth size of prefrontals. Temporals 2 

 2 or 3 anterior long. Superior labials eight, first and second much 

 separated by prenasal, fourth and fifth below orbit, seventh and eighth 

 elongate. Inferior labials eight, two anterior in usual contact, postgeneials 

 shorter than pregeneials. Gastrosteges 207, anal 1, urosteges 7, entire, 71 

 paired. 



Total length 23 in., of tail 4 in. 9 lin. 



Color above red, each scale tipped with blackish ; a broad black collar, ten 

 scales wide, not extending on the gastrosteges. Head yellow above, front of 

 head black to postoculars and anterior part of occipitals, tipping chin. 



Museum Smithsonian, No. 658.1. Collected by Dr. Berendt near Tabasco, 

 Mexico. 



The genus was defined by the author in the Proceedings of Academy for 

 1861 to embrace S. atrocinctus D. B. and S. zonatus Hallowell, 

 which differ from Tantilla in the presence of the loreal plate, and from Ery- 

 throlamprus in the entirety of the anal shield. The present discovery gives 

 further evidence of the stability of this form. Rhadinsea annulata 

 (Enicognathus Dum., Bibr.,) was procured by Dr. Berendt at the same place. 



Tantilla calamarina sp. nov. 



Scales in fifteen longitudinal rows, head flat, not distinguished ; tail con- 

 tained six and three-fifth times in the total length. Pre- and postorbitals one 

 each, small ; superior labials six, third and fourth bounding orbit, and pre- 

 and postorbital scales. Superciliaries small. Prefrontals descending to con- 

 tact with second labial ; nasal* large ; internasals narrow ; frontal longer than 

 broad, angulated in front, occipitals elongate, embracing a'scale in their emargi- 

 nation. Temporals 1 1, the anterior not in contact with the postocular. 

 Inferior labials seven, fourth largest, the first widely separated from each 

 other by contact of pregeneials and syinphyseal ; pregeneials longer than 

 broad, postgeneials minute. 



Length 7 in. 7 lin. ; of tail 1 in. 1 1. 



Color brown, end of muzzle yellow, lower surfaces and occipital region 

 pale. Sides and top of head and three longitudinal bands blackish ; the latter 

 extend on the common line of the third and fourth, and on the vertebral series 

 of scales. 



Allied to the T. planiceps Blainville. 



Museum Smithsonian, No. 6600 ; sent in a valuable collection from Guada- 

 laxara, Mexico, by I. I. Major. 



Typhlops basimaculatus sp. nnv. 



Preocular plate present, single, a little wider than ocular ; nostril situate on 

 a suture which extends to the rostral. Rostral narrow, not angulated nor pro- 

 minent. Eye invisible, ocular plate extending to labials. Scales in eighteen 

 longitudinal rows. Superior labials four. Body compressed behind, tail 

 narrowed, obtuse, three-fourths transverse diameter of former. Head depressed, 

 muzzle from above rounded truncate. 



* Color yellow, scales of seven dorsal rows with a large brown spot at base, 

 which is visible through superjacent scales ; pattern resulting, reticulate. 

 Top of head and end of tail immaculate. 



Total length 12 in. 3 1. ; vertical diameter at posterior third, 3 lin. 



Ha hitat. Cordova and Orizaba, Mexico. Prof. Sumichrast says, it exca- 

 vates galleries in the earth ; is found more rarelv under stones. 



[Nov. 



