166 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP 



August 23d. 



Dr. McEuen in the Chair. 



Seven members present. 



A paper was presented for publication entitled " On the Limits and 

 Relations of the Raniformes." By E. D. Cope. 



August 30th. 



Dr. McEuen in the Chair. 



Twelve members present. 



On report of the respective Committees, the following papers were 

 ordered to be published : 



Contributions to the Herpetology of Tropical America. 

 BY E. D. COPE. 



Caudisona basilisca. 



Two pairs of symmetrical muzzle plates in contact ; third or posterior 

 pair subdivided. Rostral subtriangular, higher than wide, in immediate con- 

 tact with nasals and frontals. Oblique length of postnasal equal horizontal 

 length of prenasal ; latter separated by small scales from the anterior labials. 

 Fourteen superior labials, separated from the suborbital series by two and 

 three rows of scales. Three flat plates between the elongate, flat supercilia- 

 ries. Temporals smooth. Scales in twenty-nine rows, external largest, and 

 with two next on each side smooth. Tail stout, surrounded by thirteen longi- 

 tudinal rows at the middle. Rattle very acuminate, with a lateral groove. 

 Gastrosteges 199 ; urosteges 20 single, four terminal divided. End of muzzle 

 to rictus 1 in. 10 1., to vent 44 in. 8 1. ; vent to base of rattle 3 in. 1 1. 



Ground color pale yellowish brown, much replaced by the following mark- 

 ings, which are on entire scales, not parts : about thirty dorsal rhombs 

 from a short distance posterior to head to opposite vent, of a bright chestnut 

 red, browner medially and white bordered ; five scales long and fourteen wide 

 inside the white border, on the median part of the body, where they are in 

 contact. Posteriorly they are separated, anteriorly elongate. Laterally, be- 

 tween each rhomb, a spot of bright chestnut. Belly and inferior scales yel- 

 low, every second or third lateral the base of a short oblique chestnut band. 

 Head dark brown ; two elongate occipital spots. Superior labials yellowish. 

 A narrow yellowish line from the small eye to the rictus. No lines on the 

 neck. Tail dark grey, with five obscure rings. 



Ilab. Near Colima, Mexico. From Consul John Xantus' collections. Mus.. 

 Smithsonian, No. 6118. 



This species belongs in the section embracing the South American species, 

 and the C. molossus, from all which it is quickly distinguishable. It has 

 fewer labials and more scales below the eye than molossus, and possesses 

 a different pattern of coloration, though the tints are nearly the same. The 

 affinities with adamanteus and a t r o x are not distant ; the plates of the 

 muzzle and coloration are different. 



Crotalus triseriatus Wagler (Uropsophus Wagl., Crot. lugubris Jan,) is 

 not rare on the Mexican Table land. It is allied to C. lucifer, but espe- 

 cially to C. scutulata Kenn. 



Tomodon nasutus. 



Body cylindrical, stout ; neck but little constricted ; head acuminate oval. 



[Aug. 



