NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 187 



Mabuia uni mar gin at a. 



Form slender, head as wide as the neck to the orbits, the muzzle not elon- 

 gate ; scales (in the specimen described) in thirty -two rows. Supranasals in 

 contact ; frontal elongate, not truncate anteriorly ; a postnasal. Supraoculars 

 four ; superior labials eight, eye over sixth. Appressed limbs overlapping. 

 Seven marginal anal plates. From muzzle to tympanum 6 lines ; from 

 muzzle to vent 2 in. 7 lin. ; from vent to end of tail 3 in. 10 lin., anterior ex- 

 tremities 9 lin. 



Above rather dark brown ; a narrow black band extends from the end of 

 the muzzle to the groin, which has a bright yellow inferior border. Beneath 

 this the sides are brown. Abdomen yellowish. 



Hab. Panama. 



This species resembles strongly the c e p e d i i and a e n e a. 



Mabuia lanceolata. 



Body narrow, head lanceolate, narrow, the distance from the muzzle to the 

 brachium nearly two-thirds that from the latter point to the groin. Frontal 

 breadth less than length of muzzle anterior to orbit. Internasal nearly as 

 long as broad, in contact with rostral, and frontal. Four supraorbital ; fronto- 

 parietals divaricate on account of the intervention of the angle of the inter- 

 parietal. Seven upper labials, eye over fifth. Lateral head plates narrow. 

 Extremities weak, not touching when extended upon the sides. Tail cylindri- 

 cal at base, compressed at its middle with a large median series of scales above 

 as is frequently seen in this member when reproduced. From muzzle to 

 tympanic meatus 5 lin., meatus to vent 2 in. 2 1. Tail mutilated ; anterior 

 extremity 7 1., posterior 11 1. 



General color iridescent olivaceous ; no lateral band ; sides of body, neck 

 and jugulum with numerous narrow black streaks. Labial and infralabials 

 yellowish margined with black ; head shields sometimes with darker varia- 

 tions. 



This very distinct species was discovered by my friend Prof. Theodore Gill, 

 in the Island of Barbadoes. This gentleman has made a valuable collec- 

 tion of Trinidad reptiles, through which the knowledge of the fauna of that 

 Island will soon be increased. 



Emcea f r e n a t a. 



Head distinct ; muzzle from anterior canthus to eye longer than breadth of 

 frontal region. Appressed extremities over-lapping. Auricular meatus with- 

 out lobes. Eight or nine upper labials, eye over sixth or seventh. Four 

 supraorbitals. Interparietal nearly trigonal. Frontoparietal broadly trian- 

 gular, nearly as long as frontal ; the latter narrowly truncate posteriorly, in 

 contact with internasal anteriorly. This plate is rhombic, broader than long. 

 Supranasals in contact behind rostral. Nostril near the middle of nasal plate. 

 Scales in thirty or thirty-two rows. Length from muzzle to ear 4 lin. ; 

 muzzle to vent 2 in. 6 1. ; posterior extremities 11 lin. 



Above bright olive, with golden reflections on the head. Brownish spots 

 produce a darker shade on the posterior part of the back. An irregularly 

 margined brownish black band extends from the end of the muzzle to the 

 groin ; it is margined above and below by lighter. Superior labials yellow. 

 Beneath yellowish. 



Hab. Paraguay. Mus. Smithsonian (5855) and Acad. Nat. Sci. Discovered 

 by Mr. Wood of the U. S. Expedition up the River Paraguay. 



This is the only species of the genus which does not inhabit some part of 

 the Polynesian or Malaysian Archipelagos. It constitutes the nearest ap- 

 proach to the genus Mabuia. Seven species of Emcea have been enumerated 

 by Dr. Chas. Girard, in the Herpetology of the U. S. Exploring Expedition 

 under Commodore Wilkes.* 



Page 263. 

 1862.] 



