Vol. XXIII, pp. 169-170 December 29, 1910 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



A NEW COLUBRINE SNAKE FROM JAVA. 

 BY THOMAS BARBOUR. 



Among a large number of Javanese reptiles collected by- 

 Mr. Owen Bryant and Mr. W . Palmer in West Java was a 

 single undescribed snake, representing one of the most distinct 

 species of the genus Liopcltis (=^ Ablabes auct.). Curiously 

 enough Mr. Bryant got this specimen right at Buitenzorg, the 

 one locality of all others in Java which has been best explored, 

 and whence collections have been sent to various museums for 

 over a hundred years. There is perhaps less reason for surprise 

 than one might at first suppose; for nearly every year some 

 astonishing novelty turns up here in the United States, which 

 we believe to l)e even more thoroughly worked over than is this 

 region of Java. 



Liopeltis libertatis sp. nov. 



Resemblinoj in many respects L. major, but really widely different. 

 This new species has two loreals, a much longer tail, and other differ- 

 ences, as a comparison of specimens or descriptions will readily show. 



Specific Characters. — Rostral as broad as deep, well turned back above; 

 internasals about two-thirds the size of the praet'rontals, which latter 

 are barely in contact with the supraocular; frontal very slightly longer 

 than its distance from tip of snout, longer than the interparietal suture; 

 slightly wider in front than l^ehind, and wider than a supraocular; pari- 

 etals about equal to the frontal in length; nostril large, slightly oval 

 vertically, in the centre of a large divided nasal; two loreals, the anterior 

 square, the posterior slightly lower and only one-third the width of the 

 other; a single long praeocular, very narrowly separated from the frontal; 

 two postoculars, upper twice as large as lower; temporals 2+2, large 

 with straight edges; eight supralabials on each side, fourth and fifth 

 entering eye, seventh largest being, however, but little larger than eighth, 

 sixth tending to a trapezoid form; five lower labials in contact with 

 anterior chin shields, whicli are slightly shorter than the posterior ; fifteen 



39— Proc. Biol. Soc. W.vsh., Vol. XXni, I'.ilO (lf>9) 



