70 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP 



forming bands. In the female these bound a more or less irregular black band ; 



another dark band margins the dorsal vitta. Beneath greenish white. Total 



length 14 in. ; head and body 4 in. 6 lin. 



Eab. Jamaica. Mus. Philada. Academy. Smithsonian, (No. 5770.) 



The short occipitalis, the small brachials and shortened series of antebrachials 



of this species, are repeated in the A. c o r v i n a . 



II. 



Eunectes notaeus. 



General form elongate ; tail one-eighth of the total length. Muzzle de- 

 pressed, broadly rounded. Rostral plate twice as broad as high, its labial 

 sutures divergent, straight. Of the three nasal plates, the two superior are 

 trapezoid, the inferior three times as long as wide. Lor'eal, preocular and 

 superciliary large, their superior border nearly continuous. They are bounded 

 superiorly by three large elongate plates which embrace a median series of 

 three smaller rhombic plates. Of the former, the posterior are as long as the 

 anterior, the median shorter. Of the latter, the two anterior are in contact, 

 the posterior not smaller, sometimes isolated anteriorly by the exterior plates. 

 In addition to the superciliary and preocular, the orbital ring is formed by 

 five small plates, of which the two anterior are in contact with the sixth, 

 seventh and eighth superior labials, without the intervention of a second sub- 

 orbital series. Superior labials thirteen, the anterior but little higher than 

 the rest. Scales large, broad as long, in forty-five rows on the thickest part 

 of the body. Maxillary teeth 15 on each side; mandibulars 17. Urosteges 

 59. Total "length 9 ft. 4 in. Of tail 1 ft. 4 in. 



Above, light yellowish brown anteriorly; upon the middle and posterior 

 parts of the body, dark brown. A deep brown band commences upon each 

 temple, and unites with its fellow on the middle of the muzzle. A similar 

 band commences at the eye, and extends beyond the canthus of the mouth. 

 A broad median head band arises between the orbits, and extending upon 

 the neck becomes zigzag, and is finally broken into transverse blackish spots 

 which extend to the end of the tail. There are fifty-three distinct spots on the 

 body, seventeen on the tail. They extend over twelve scales transversely, and 

 are two scales apart. Two bands commence on each side of the neck, the supe- 

 rior is continuous for a short distance, and is then broken into longitudinal 

 spots which alternate with the dorsal. The inferior band is soon broken and is 

 merged into two or three very irregular series of lateral black spots. Belly 

 yellow, irregularly spotted with black, outlining two longitudinal streaks. 



Habitat. Paraguay River and confluents. Mus. Acad. Phila. Smithsonian 

 (No. 4707). Capt. Page's Exped. 



This serpent is one of the largest in America ; in its proportions it is rather 

 more slender than the E. murina or anaconda, which attains a greater size 

 than any of the Boas, and equals or exceeds the largest Pythons. 



It also differs from the murinain the greater size of the posterior three 

 head plates, especially the median ; in the immediate contact of the orbitar 

 ring of plates with the labial shields, and the less narrow and elevated form of 

 the latter anteriorly. The dorsal scales are larger, and in fewer rows. Both 

 the ground color, and the distribution of spots upon it, are quite different 

 from those of the murina. 



Homalochilus multisectus. 



Head rather elongate, very distinct from the neck, the plates of its superior 

 surface irregular, not large. Three small superciliaries on each side, sepa- 

 rated by five longitudinal series of frontal scales. Rostral plate five sided, 

 those in contact with the labials shortest. Internasals confluent with the pre- 

 nasal (as sometimes occurs in H. s t r i a t u s), their common suture very short. 

 Prefrontals large, their common suture as long as the posterior border of each. 

 Posterior to these a pair of transversely oval postfrontals (sometimes divided). 



[Feb. 



