90 General Notes. 



The color of the fully adult Ophibolus rhombomacula- 



tus liolbrook. 



In a recent contribution to this publication (p. 36) Mr. Gerrit S. Mil- 

 ler, Jr. has given a description of a large specimen ( $ , 1090 mm. in 

 length) of OpMholus rhoinbomaeulatiis which was very differently marked 

 from younger specimens, and which, he was led to believe exhibited the 

 normal coloration of the fully adult of this species. I am inclined to 

 think that Mr. Miller was in error in this, as I have had in my possession 

 several large individuals of this species which were marked much like 

 j'ounger specimens. 



On March 3d of the present year, I had brought to me a very large 

 specimen of Ophibolus rhombomaculatus, 1150 mm. in length, which 

 agrees perfectly with medium sized specimens in its color pattern; the 

 colors are perhaps considerably less bright, but there is no indication of 

 the uniform dorsal surface, or the longitudinal lateral stripe mentioned 

 by Mr. Miller. On the body there are forty-five brown spots in a dorsal 

 series extending from a short distance behind the head to the base of 

 the tail. On the tail there are nine such spots. On each side of the 

 body there is an indistinct series of about 42 smaller spots, mostly al- 

 ternating with those on the back. The dorsal spots are of a warm brown 

 color, more or less distinctly margined with blackish; they extend along 

 about three scales and across about ten. The lateral spots are less dis- 

 tinct and include from one to three scales. The elongate spots behind 

 the head are quite indistinct, but may be seen in certain lights. The 

 belly is of a satiny, shining white anteriorly, becoming tinged with yel- 

 lowish posteriorly, almost light orange for some distance in front of the 

 vent. This last item is of especial interest in that, in Holbrook's de- 

 scription the color of the belly is given as salmon colored, more or less 

 bright, a character which has never been observed in our northern speci- 

 mens. — W. P. Hay. 



