172 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 



Color. — General color of body deep chestnut brown, reddish 

 brown, slaty brown, purplish brown, brownish black, or occasionally 

 dark drab, the shade varying considerably in different parts of the 

 body, and usually having more or less of a grayish tinge (PI. 3, fig. 

 37). Sometimes chocolate brown in esophageal i-egion, and much 

 paler brown with shades of reddish or buff posteiiorly. 



Color of under side of body much like that of dorsal surface, but 

 usually paler and more grayish (PI. 3, fig. 37). Ripe ova impart a 

 decided shade of buff to intestinal region. In the darker individ- 

 uals ventral is nearly as dark as dorsal surface, but the paler indi- 

 viduals are light drab or gra\'ish beneath. 



Head bordered anteriorly by a narrow terminal band of white, 

 which extends back along the borders of cephalic slit"*, sometimes to 

 their posterior ends both above and below, so that when the slits are 

 open they appear white in color (PI. 3, fig. 37). White temiinal 

 border naiTower on ventral than on dorsal surface and less con- 

 spicuous owing to paler color of the ventral surface. Head often 

 paler brown in front of brain, deeper brown anteriorly next the 

 white terminal border, and brighter red in brain region from the 

 rosy coloring of this oi'gan. 



Body encircled at ii-regular intei-vals throughout most of its length 

 by a series of very fine white rings (PI. 3, fig. 37). These rings 

 occasionally show slight thickenings in the dorsal median hue and 

 often lie in slight annular grooves or constrictions. First ring sit- 

 uated about as far behind brain as is brain from tip of snout. Suc- 

 ceeding rings commonly separated from each other by about the 

 diameter of the body in ordinary states of contraction. 



Anteriorly the rings encircle whole body, but farther back are 

 represented on ventral surface by very fine grayish lines only. 

 Rings sometimes very indistinct, and sometimes merely indicated on 

 dorsal surface and entirely wanting ventrally and in posterior por- 

 tions of body. Rings often disappear after preservation, the body 

 assurauig a slaty black a])pearance, sometimes more grayish below, 

 and with the distinct terminal white border. 



Size. — Length commonly 7-15 cm. ; width 2-4 mm. 



Cephalic glands but little developed. Cutis glands limited to a 

 rather thin, but dense, layer external to the outer longitudinal mus- 

 cles, not sinking in among the muscular fibers to any great extent 

 even in intestinal region. Pigment of body resides in the connective 

 tissue among the cutis glands. 



