CAIAMAHTA. 



28] 



c\ A sino-le internasal; nostril in a 



semidivided nasal Helicops, p. 352. 



b. Maxillary teeth subequal ; nostril in a 



single nasal Xenochrophis, p. 353, j 



Fig. 88. — Scaling of body of Bcndrophifi pictus, showing the enlarged verte- 

 bral scales (8), the apical ])it* on the oblique dorsal scales, and the lateral 

 keel along the ventral shields (('). 



Genus CALAMARIA, 

 Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 519. 



Maxillary toetli 8 to 11, subequal; anterior mandibular teeth a 

 little lonft'er tlian Ibc posterior. Head not distinct from neck ; 



-Head of Cchimaria pai'lincntafa. 



eye small, with round puj)il ; nostril pierced in a ^ery small nasal ; 

 no loreal : no internasals ; prseocular jiresent or absent ; no 



* The apical pit is a minnte impression near the extremity of the scale ; 

 these pits may be disposed in pairs. The character derived from the presence 

 or absence of the apical pits appears to me of about the same systematic import- 

 ance as the presence or absence of a keel on the dorsal scales, or the division 

 or non-division of the suhea\idal shields. In some cases it may aid in defining 

 a natural genus, in others it breaks down as a generic character. 



