72 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP 



Color above as far 'as the fourth row of 'scales on each side, reddish 

 brown, with five alternating series of indistinct quadrate spots of a darker 

 hue. Sides light yellowish brown. Beneath dark chocolate, near the middle 

 of the body every third or fourth gastrostege one-half yellow. Posteriorly 

 these spots are smaller and closer together, upon the gular region they form a 

 broken longitudinal series, which is crossed by a similar series extending 

 from one angle of the mouth to the other, and by an anterior one upon the chin. 

 Tail scarcely spotted beneath. Head light brown, a yellow shade upon the 

 posterior superior labials. A median longitudinal nuchal band. 



Habitat. Amazon. Mus. Smithsonian (No. 6007). From Lieut. Henderson's 

 collection. 



I have placed this species in Tachynectes, Fitz. on account of its slender 

 body and elongate, tail ; in all respects it is a Helicops as defined by Dumeril. 



Hypsirhynchus s c a 1 a r i s. 



Scales in nineteen longitudinal rows, thin, not elongate, with a single large 

 pore at the extremity, not median. Head lanceolate flat, the muzzle slightly, 

 the superciliary plates very much, elevated. Rostral plate transverse, oblique 

 from the prominence of the muzzle, its lateral and superior outlines continu- 

 ous, curved. Vertical plate more than twice as long as broad, the lateral 

 borders concave; superciliaries broad arched; occipitals elongate, rounded 

 posteriorly, the median posterior emargination nearly acute angled. Nasals 

 two, nostril principally in the anterior ; posterior larger, its posterior outline 

 oblique. Loreal none. Preocular single, longer than high, not reaching the 

 vertical. Postoculars two, the inferior half the size of the superior, and in 

 contact with an elongate temporal and the angle of the occipital. Eight 

 superior labials, second elongate, third, fourth and fifth entering the orbit, 

 sixth largest. Ten inferior labials, sixth largest ; post genials longer than 

 pregenials. Anal plate bifid ; tail elongate (mutilated). Length of head and 

 body nineteen inches. 



General color dark brown, the result of close punctulations on a paler 

 ground. A darker band extends upon the third, fourth and fifth rows of 

 scales on each side, throughout the length of the body, though indistinct 

 posteriorly. The dorsal space enclosed is crossed by numerous incomplete 

 bands of the same shade, at distances of three or four scales. The lateral 

 band is more distinct anteriorly, where it is bounded beneath by a nar- 

 row yellowish vitta extending from the canthus of the mouth. A yellowish 

 band extends through the eye. Superior labial, mental and gular regions, 

 blackish brown. A brown spot upon each frontal plate, longitudinal vermi- 

 culations on the plates posterior to them. Beneath brownish yellow, thickly 

 punctulated. 



Habitat. Hayti, (near Jeremie). Mus. Compar. Zoology, Cambridge (No. 

 1517). Dr. A. F. Weinland donor. 



In the present species the teeth are widely spaced and become longer on the 

 posterior portions of the superior maxillary bone. The absence of the loreal 

 plate, and the pattern of coloration, separate it from the H. f er o x, Gthr., of 

 Barbadoes, the only other species of the genus. 



Pliocercus euryzonus. 



Dentition diacranterian, as in P. le q u a 1 i s Salvin.* Head broad posteriorly 

 and at the muzzle. Rostral plate low, the nasal sutures long, straight. Com- 

 mon prefrontal suture less than half that of the postfrontals. Vertical broad, 

 sides convergent ; obtuse angled behind. Occipitals well developed, rounded 

 posteriorly ; temporals one large, (narrow, ) four small. Nasals two, loreal 



*This author spells the generic name Pleiocercus ; a more consistent orthography 

 would be Pleiokerkos. Those who prefer the unlatinised method should also write kua- 

 noura, skutale, kaloura, etc. 



[Feb. 



