SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 197 



"probably Cuba," and the type supposed to be in the M. C. Z. This speci- 

 men cannot be found but from the description is evidently a Tantilla, also 

 doubtless Central American. 



To retm-n to Leimadophis andreae we may say that it is a common and 

 widespread lowland species, apparently more abundant in the region of the 

 Cienaga de Zapata than elsewhere. It often burrows underground and is very 

 frequently turned out by the plough. It shows these varied types of coloura- 

 tion and a range of ventral and subcaudal counts, there being about 133-149 

 ventrals and about 85 to 100 pairs of subcaudals. The individuals common 

 about the Laguna de Manat6, a brackish lagoon near Guantanamo Bay, are 

 larger than those so common about the San Carlos Plantation some miles inland. 

 Here they Uve under the labourers' houses coming up through the cracks in the 

 floors. In the casa vivienda they were often found Uving in cracks in the wall 

 close to the floor and even under the brick floors as well (Ramsden). 



Key to the Species of Arrhyton. 



a' No loreal scale taenialum, p. 197 



s? A loreal scale present. 



b" Two prefrontals vittatwn, p. 199 



b- One prefrontal rcdimilvm, p. 200 



63. Arrhyton taeniatum Giinther. 



Plate 15, fig. 10, 11. 



Culebrita. 



Diagnosis: — A small brown snake with two light longitudinal hues above 

 narrowly separated by a brown stripe. Ventral surface yellowish or cream- 

 colour. In old specimens the light dorsal stripes are barely visible. Size larger 

 than the following species, reaching eighteen inches. 



Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 10,916. Cuba: Soledad, near Cienfuegos, 

 Spring of 1915. R. M. Grey. 



Rostral projecting, much broader than high, distinctly visible from above; 

 internasal suture much shorter than prefrontal suture; frontal one and one 

 third times as long as broad; as long as its distance from tip of the snout which 

 is slightly longer than parietal suture; nostril between two nasals; no loreal; 

 one preocular not touching frontal; two postoculars the upper larger; temporals 



