176 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA. 



with a zone of dark specks below it. These fleckings grow fewer and the ground- 

 colour becomes lighter ventrally until the colour of the lower sides merges into 

 the yellowish cream-colour of the belly. 



This species like its congeners probably varies very little in squamation. 

 An adult example (M. C. Z. 7,426) from eastern Cuba, Charles Wright collector, 

 is exactly like the specimen described, except that on one side three chin-shields 

 are in contact with three infralabials. Although this is an old specimen it is 

 very well preserved and shows an entirely different colouration. The back and 

 side are rich walnut-brown; the back is heavily spotted and flecked with darker; 

 the dark side-line is present but not very conspicuous, the sides also are heavily 

 spotted and washed with brown, the belly is yellowish. 



Neither of these specimens is perfect. Boulenger gives the following 

 measurements: — total length 201 mm., tail 114 nam. M. C. Z. 7,426 measures 

 90 mm. from snout to vent, while the tail with a considerable portion of the tip 

 missing measures 120 mm. ; thus it would appear that Boulenger's measurements, 

 which are not original, as there was no specimen in the British Museum, were 

 probably taken from a specimen with the distal portion of the tail repro- 

 duced. In this genus the reproduced tails are sometimes grown with squama- 

 tion so much like the rather generalized type seen on the original member that 

 it is difficult to recognize the reproduced part. This is never the case with forms 

 in which the tail scutellation is ornamented. Under such circumstances the 

 new growth shows a scutation of a much simpler type — whether ancestral or not 

 hi impossible to say. Recently we have examined a perfect specimen (Ramsden 

 collection) from Los Hondones, Guantanamo, in which the body from snout to 

 \ent measured 85 mm. and the tail 115 mm. 



Little or nothing is known of the habits of any of the Antillean Celesti. 

 They are nowhere common and are only found by the collector by the merest 

 chance under stones or hidden in similar situations. Hitherto nothing has been 

 recorded regarding their breeding habits. In June, 1914, however, the junior 

 author found a male Celustus under a stone near Belona, not far from Guanta- 

 namo, Cuba. He was lying over five eggs and when disturbed made no effort 

 to escape, simply hiding his head as if for protection. This makes it appear 

 probable that the male may remain on guard near the eggs until they are hatched. 

 The eggs which have a very soft shell measure 9 X 17 mm. As in Jamaica 

 where Celesti are called "Galliwasps," and considered very deadly, so also the 

 Cuban species is feared but to a far less extent. In Jamaica there are several 

 species, making the members of the genus more common, hence more widely 



