144 ON THE BATRACHIA AND REPTILIA OF COSTA RICA. 



(3. Posterior labials elevated, separated from parietals by one temporal. 



Form slender; a yellow, black-bordered collar near parietal plates. T. miniata, Cope. 



(3(3. Posterior labials elevated, bounded above by two temporals. 



Labials bigber ; first inferior labials separate ; black with wide yellow collar. 



T. ?noesta, Gthr. 



Frontal narrower; posterior labials higher; body banded. T. melanocephala, Linn. 



Frontal wider ; posterior labials lower ; body uniform red. T. rubra* Cope. 



(3(3. Posterior labials low, bounded above by two temporals. 



y. Inferior labials of first pair in contact on the middle line. 



Postnasal very small; collar far behind head; body banded; urosteges 51. 



T. armillata, Cope. 



Postnasal large; collar crossing parietal scuta; body unicolor. T. coronata, B & G. 



yy. Inferior labials separated by symphyseal. 



Urosteges 67 ; postnasal large, bounded below by first labial ; a yellow collar. 



T. reticulata, Cope. 



Urosteges 57 ; postnasal chiefly bounded by second labial ; head black, no collar. 



T. nigriceps, Kenn. 



Urosteges 39; first labial rising to nostril; head and body uniform. 



T. canula,-\ Cope. 



* Tantilla rubra, Cope, sp. nov. 



Scales poreless, in fifteen rows. Rostral plate little prominent; frontal wide, its anterior 

 borders longer than its superciliary, and forming together an anterior angle. Snperciliaries well 

 developed ; parietals much longer than frontal, notched behind. Nasals strongly notched below 

 for the first labial ; the postnasal barely touching the large preocular by its angle. Last three 

 labials elevated, the seventh most so; temporals 1-1, the anterior in contact with postoculars. 

 Only six inferior labials, first pair in contact, the fourth largest, elongate, and in contact with 

 geneials of both pairs. Gastrosteges 149 ; anal divided ; tail injured. Length of head and body 

 m. .310. Color red; top of head black, followed by a yellow collar which involves the extremi- 

 ties of the parietal plates, and is followed by a black collar three scales wide. A pale spot below 

 nostril and one on lip behind orbit. From Dr. Sumichrast, from Japaua, Tchuautepec. 



| Tantilla canula, Cope, sp. nov. ; Tantilla vermifo?->nis, "Hallow.;" Cope, Proceed. Academy 

 Philada. 18G6, p. 126. 



This small species is represented by two specimens (Nos. 413 and 737) taken by Arthur 

 Schott in Yucatan, while attached to the Comision Scientifica under the direction of Governor 

 Illaregui. Comparison with four of the T. vermiformis of Hallowell establishes the specific 

 difference of the two in a satisfactory manner. 



Scales in fifteen rows without apical pores ; muzzle rather wide, but projecting beyond the 

 mouth. Internasals and prefontals narrow, transverse, frontal rather small, longer than suture 

 to rostral, to which it presents an angle. Snperciliaries rather large ; parietals longer than 

 frontal, notched behind. Temporals 1-1 ; eye over suture between third and fourth labials ; 

 seventh labial the largest. Postgeneials short, in contact with each other. Fourth labial below, 

 the largest, in contact with pre- and postgeneials. Color leaden, darker above. Head shields 

 with paler borders and centres. Gastrosteges 110; anal divided; urosteges 37. Total length 

 m. .172; of tail .037. 



