310 [December, 



specimens are stouter than those in the collection of the Academy from Santa 

 Fe, New Mexico, (lichenoides, Bd. ?) The ground color is yellowish mingled 

 with oliye, the surface minutely punctated with small black dots ; the 

 surface of head, body and tail covered with innumerable pustulations; these 

 are much less distinct upon the abdomen ; the small lichenoid patches are 

 quite distinct. Notwithstanding the greater narrowness of the head and body 

 in the Santa Fe specimens, and less obtuse muzzle, we are not prepared to con- 

 sider them specifically distinct from those from Kansas (Bridger's Pass, expe- 

 dition in summer of 1856.) The Coronella, Heterodon, Ophisaurus and speci- 

 mens of Ambystoma, are all marked from Bridger's Pass. The others from 

 neighborhood of Fort Riley, Kansas. 



A short time ago we received from Dr. Miles, of the town of Flint, Michigan, 

 a small collection of reptiles, including Tropidonotus ordinatus, parietalis, libe- 

 ris, Herpetodryas vernalis, Storeria occipito-maculata, B. and G., and one Scinck, 

 which appears to be new, and of which the following is a description : 



> Plestiodon vittigerum, nob. 



Char. Color grey above, with three broad lighter colored stripes extending 

 the whole length upon the back, and becoming lost upon the tail ; two narrower 

 ones upon the sides'; a broad black band between the external of the dorsal 

 vittae and the inferior lateral stripe; under parts white. 



Description. The head is of moderate size, slightly swollen at the temples; the 

 rostral plate rounded, heptagonal, broader than long ; two supero-nasals con- 

 tiguous ; a broad internasal; two fronto-nasals ; a frontal pentangular, broader 

 in front, the sides slightly excavated ; two fronto-parietals somewhat larger 

 than the fronto-nasals ; an inter-parietal longer than broad ; two parietals ; nos- 

 tril between two plates ; a naso-frenal ; two frenals, the second larger but not so 

 high as the first; two freno-orbitars ; eight superior labials; five supra-ocular 

 plates ; body moderate ; tail longer than head, neck and body ; 28 rows of broad 

 and smooth hexagonal scales, rounded posteriorly; three or four scales in front 

 of the auricular openings ; third and fourth fingers of nearly equal length, fourth 

 toe the longest. 



Coloration. Head grayish, obscurely spotted and maculated with black ; dorsal 

 vittaj margined with interrupted spots of black ; extremities maculated with 

 black above ; a narrow white stripe upon the thigh posteriorly : under parts 

 white, immaculate. 



Dimensions. Length of head T lines ; breadth 5J ; length of body to vent 2 

 inches 1 line ; of tail 3 inches 10 lines ; of arm 2| lines ; of forearm 3 lines ; of 

 palm to extremity of longest finger 4 lines ; of thigh 4 lines ; of leg 3f ; of sole 

 to extremity of longest toe 6 lines. 



Habitat. Neighborhood of Flint, Michigan. One specimen in Mus. Acad, pre- 

 sented by Dr. Miles. 



Gen. Remarks. This may possibly be a variety of Plestiodon quinquelineatum ; 

 it differs, however, much from the latter in the coloration, and in the greater 

 breadth of the scales. 



Description of a new genus of Colubriform Serpents from California. 

 By Edw. Halloweli,, M. D. 



Gen. LAMPROSOMA. 



Char. Teeth of equal length, posterior ones not channelled ; head small, snout 

 rounded, internasals somewhat smaller than prefrontals; frontal short and broad ; 

 nostril in a single plate; a long and narrow frenal ; one antocular, two postocu- 

 lars ; body long and slender, depressed ; scales smooth, quadrangular, brilliant ; 

 tail short, obtuse ; subcaudal scutes bifid. 



