1879.] ^*° [Cope. 



sides posteriorly with a single apical pore. Rostral plate small, not pro- 

 duced ; nasals subequal ; loreal high as long ; preocular not reaching fron- 

 tal. Two postoculars ; temporals l-f-2-f-3 ; the first and second bounding 

 the parietals large and subequal. Superior labials eight, fourth and fifth 

 entering orbit. Inferior labials ten, six in contact with geneials. Pairs of 

 geneials equal. Frontal with straight sides, longer than wide in front, 

 equal occipital. 



Ground color above black, each scale with a round yellow spot near the 

 base, including the first row, and excepting a row on each side of the ver- 

 tebral row, which is uniform black (with an occasional spot) for the pos- 

 terior third of the body. A median dorsal black line on tail. Ground 

 color of head above brownish-yellow ; a black band through eye, which 

 sends branches along the borders of the labials ; a black spot on top of 

 muzzle ; a black cross band between eyes, and the greater part of each 

 parietal plate black. 



Total length, M. .640 ; tail, 190. 



This handsome species is named for my daughter. 



4. Alsophis sibonius, sp. nov. 



This species does not conform exactly to the diagnosis of the genus Also- 

 phis, which I gave in 1862,* since the tail is less than one-third the total 

 length, not much exceeding one-fourth. It thus approaches Liophis, and the 

 question of reference to one genus or the other is left to depend on the 

 character of the scale pores. These have the full number common to the 

 species of Alsophis and the ground Colubrine snakes generally, while in 

 Liophis there is but one on each scale, as in many Coronelline and water 

 snakes. 



The physiognomy of the A. sibonius is much that of species of the A. 

 antillensis type, but the coloration resembles that of the common South 

 American Sibon annulatum. The scales are thin and are in nineteen 

 longitudinal series. Gastrosteges 191 ; anal double ; urosteges 118. Total 

 length, .640 M. ; tail, .200. Fight superior labials, the third, fourth and 

 fifth entering the orbit, the part of the third contributing being small. 

 The muzzle projects above and is obliquely truncate below; the rostral 

 plate is flat and barely appears on the superior surface of the head. Post- 

 nasal higher than prenasal ; loreal longer than high, the superior border 

 straight, not angulate. Preocular not much elevated, not reaching the 

 frontal. Postoculars small ; temporals 2-2-4. The superior temporal of 

 the first row larger than the others and in contact with the inferior post- 

 ocular only. The inferior temporal adjoining it does not reach the post- 

 oculars, and is, in fact, a dismemberment of the seventh superior labial, 

 which is, in consequence, reduced to a very small size. This arrangement 

 is identical on both sides of the head. Inferior labials ten, six of which 

 are in contact with the geneials ; latter subequal. Top of head flat, and 

 orbits not prominent. Lengths of internasals and prefrontals on median 

 suture equal. Frontal longer than wide, the superciliary borders but little 



* Proceedings Academy Philadelphia, February. 



