1903.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 625 



October 6. 

 The President, Samuel G. Dixox, M.D., in the Chair. 

 Twenty-six persons present. 



The Curators, Secretaries and Librarian reported on the work of 

 the Academy since the last meeting. 



The deaths of Joseph P. Lesley, June 2, and Charles A. Blake, 

 June 24, members; Carl Gegenbauer, June 18, and Augustus R. 

 Grote, September 8, correspondents, were announced. 



Note on Crotalus scutulatus Kenn. — Mr. A. E. Brown stated that in 

 a review of the species of North American snakes, published in 1901 

 by the Academy, he had considered Crotalus scutulatus Kenn. to be a 

 synonym of C. atrox B. and G. Lately the receipt of a living example 

 from Pecos, Texas, had convinced him that they are distinct. C. 

 scutulatus has the scales on the upper surface of the head larger than in 

 most Nearctic rattlesnakes, there being but two scales between the 

 supraorbitals in front, and three behind. Two or three rows below 

 the suborbitals. The rostral is triangular, sharply emarginate and 

 acuminate above. Twenty-three rows of scales. The specimen is 

 curiously intermediate in plan of markings between C. atrox and 

 C. confluentus. It has the strongly contrasted black tail-bands of 

 the former, while elsewhere the dorsal spots are much like those of 

 C. confluentus in shape, in width of separation and in turning to cross- 

 bands on the hinder half of the body. The oblique dark streak below 

 the eye is intermediate both in breadth and direction, and on top of 

 the head the only distinct marking is a black blotch on the prefrontals, 

 the well-defined pattern of C. confluentus being absent. 



Kennicott and Cope both regarded this species as nearer to atrox 

 than appears to be true. It is abundantly distinct and there is no 

 need for a trinomial. C. atrox sometimes presents enlarged head 

 scales, but never the dorsal spots turning to cross-bars posteriorly. C. 

 confluentus, on the other hand, is wholly different in its markings on 

 head and tail. In its head scales the present species departs from both 

 in the direction of C. molossus, from which it is otherwise most 

 unlike. 



C. scutulatus is known from northern Mexico, Arizona, and in Texas 

 . only from Pecos and, as reported by Mr. Boulenger, from Duval county. 

 It is therefore Sonoran, and does not appear to enter the Austro- 

 riparian. 



The following were accepted for publication : 

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