MEXICAN SNAKES AND CROCODILIANS — SMITH 429 



*FICIMIA OLIVACEA OLIVACEA Gray 



Two specimens are in the Museum, 32 including No. G329 from Orizaba, 

 Veracruz, and No. 30131 said to be from "Tehuantepec." The locality 

 for the latter appears to be erroneous. 



*FICIMIA OLIVACEA STRECKERI Taylor 



Two specimens (Nos. 25201-2) are in the Museum ? from Tuxpan, 

 Veracruz. 33 



FICIMIA PUBLIA Cope 



Ficiniiu publia Smith and Taylor, Journ. Washington Acad. Sci., vol. 31, pp. 

 362-364, 1941. 



Four specimens were secured, at Piedras Negras, Guatemala (No. 

 110295), Tehuantepec, Oaxaca (No. 110297), La Conception, Oaxaca 

 (about 50 km. west of Tehuantepec) (No. 110298), and La Esperanza, 

 near Escuintla, Chiapas (No. 11029G). The Piedras Negras and La 

 Esperanza specimens were found at night along trails through forests. 



This species has not previously been reported from Pacific slopes 

 north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, from where it is represented 

 by M. C. Z. No. 33609 and U. M. M. Z. No. 85713, both from Chilpan- 

 cingo, Guerrero, collected by W. W. Brown. The former has 34 

 blotches on the body, the latter 32. The ventrals are 156, 153 ; caudals 

 32 ( $ ), 36 ( $ ) ; supralabials 7-7, 7-7; infralabials 8-8, 7-8; preoc- 

 ulars 1-1; postoculars 2-2; total length 279 mm., 314 mm.; tail 39 

 mm., 50 mm., respectively. Both specimens have the internasals dis- 

 tinct. In pattern the specimens are like others of the species. 



In spite of the discovery of typical publia in this region, it does not 

 appear wise to consider ruspator a synonym of it, although if valid two 

 closely related species would appear to occupy much the same territory. 

 The number of blotches in the two known ruspator (43 to 45) is much 

 higher than in any of the 19 publia for which this character is known 

 (range 25 to 35). 



The Museum has two other Mexican specimens, both from "Yucatan" 

 (Nos. 16427-8). 



*FICIMIA VARIEGATA (Giinther) 



A single specimen in the Museum is from Guichicovi, Oaxaca (No. 

 30126). 34 



33 Smith and Taylor, 1941, pp. 366-367, figs. 4, 9, 13. 

 33 Smith and Taylor. 1941, p. 368, figs. 3, 8, 14. 

 31 Smith and Taylor, 1941, pp. 365-366. 



