SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 195 



and those following it suddenly much larger than the others ; five lower labials 

 in contact with anterior chin-shield which is shorter than the posterior; seven- 

 teen rows of smooth scales, with two conspicuous pores near the tip; 169 ven- 

 trals; anal divided; 115 pairs of subcaudals. 



Colour (in life) : — In general steel-gray sometimes greenish, sometimes 

 plimi-colour, and sometimes distinctly reddish. Often scattered black spots 

 which appear upon the tail frequently at regular intervals. A dark stripe 

 between the eye. 



Dimensions: — Total length 950 mm. 



Vent to tip of tail 306 mm. 



The Jubo reaches a very considerable size. Individuals of five feet are by 

 no means rare in the Cienaga de Zapata where the species is very abundant; a 

 female 5' 8" long which contained fifty-eight eggs is in the collection of the junior 

 author. The snake has a curious habit of flattening the neck just posterior to 

 the head and waving the flattened portion about in a threatening manner. 

 This has given rise to a widespread belief among the country people that the 

 species is a very dangerous one, while the more ignorant ones also beUeve that 

 it lashes its enemies savagely with its tail; the same sort of behef which gave 

 rise to the name coach-whip snake among the negroes of the southern United 

 States. The Jubo is found widespread through the whole Island, but is much 

 more abundant in swampy lowlands and about lakes than in the forests or the 

 limestone Sierras. Specimens from Oriente which we have seen have the scales 

 each with a white dot at the apex and have given rise to the trinomial adspersus 

 (Gundlach & Peters, Monatsb. Berl. acad., 1864, p. 388). Dr. Stejneger's 

 recent paper shows that all of the examples from Oriente in the U. S. N. M. 

 show this colour-character, so that the race A . angulifer adspersus may be con- 

 sidered estabUshed. The collection of the junior author substantiates this 

 observation. Generally speaking this is the most common ophidian of Cuba. 



62. Leimadophis andreae (Reinhardt & Liitkent). 

 Plate 15, fig. 8. 

 Jubito; Magdalena. 



Diagnosis: — An active Uttle snake, slender, mostly clear black but with 

 pure white markings scattered variously upon the sides and belly. 



Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 10,900. Cuba: Cienaga de Zapata, March, 

 1915. Thomas Barbour. 



