MEXDCAN SNAKES AND CROCODILIANS — SMITH 483 



spots are present, surrounded by a very narrow border of black; in 

 this respect only it differs in pattern from the above. In the other 

 specimens of this race the black areas on the parietals are more ex- 

 tensive. The lack or dimness of the stripes and the presence of the 

 light, dark-edged parietal spots are the chief characters distinguishing 

 this from eques, which occurs in the same vicinity although perhaps 

 not in exactly the same localities. There are 26 maxillary teeth in 

 the above specimen. 



It is probable that phenaos is, as most other authors have supposed 

 but I had refused to believe, a lowland form; a specimen recently 

 acquired by the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, from 

 Potrero Viejo, Veracruz (No. 89363), is from about the same eleva- 

 tion as Cordoba, the type locality. Since the latter is the only speci- 

 men known aside from series collected many years ago by Sumichrast, 

 much remains to be discovered of the normal range of the race. Ten- 

 tatively it must be concluded that phenax phenax is a lowland race 

 intergrading at higher elevations with phenax halophilus; thus the 

 locality data on U.S.N.M. No. 7079 (instead of that of the type), said 

 to be from "Orizaba, Alpine Region," must remain in doubt. Both 

 forms are so rare that the possibility that they are near extinction is 

 suggested. 



The Potrero Viejo specimen of p. phenax is a female with 19-19-17 

 scale rows, 152 ventrals, 63 caudals, 8-8 supralabials, 10-11 infra- 

 labials, 1-1 preoculars, 1-4 postoculars, a total length of 323 mm., tail 

 70 mm. All markings are very dim, since the snake unfortunately 

 was killed shortly before shedding; however, about 38 dark cross 

 bands can be discovered on the body separated from each other by 

 narrow, transverse light bands covering the length of about one scale 

 row ; the posterior edges of the third, fifth, and seventh supralabials 

 are dark; an irregular dark-edged, elongate light spot on the suture 

 between the parietals can be discerned; the belly is grayish, darker 

 posteriorly and on tail. 



Another specimen of phenax phenax (M.C.Z. No. 45688) is said to 

 be from Tequeyutepec, Veracruz ; this, as the University of Michigan 

 specimen, was collected by Dyfrig McH. Forbes. It is a male with 

 19-19-17 scale rows, 154 ventrals, 73 caudals, 7-8 supralabials, 10-10 

 infralabials, 1-1 preoculars, 3-3 postoculars, a total length of 298 mm., 

 tail 71 mm. Although this, like the preceding, was about to shed when 

 caught, the pattern is fairly distinct ; there are 45 broad blotches on 

 the body; the posterior edges of all supralabials except the last are 

 black, and the last has a dark anterior edge ; an elongate light streak, 

 with undulating lateral margins, occupies the median parietal suture, 

 and is bounded on either side by a large dark spot that occupies most 

 of the parietal; there are large irregular dark marks on other dorsal 



