vo 



iHUl" ] PRUCKKDINGS OF THK NATIONAL Ml.SEUM. f/M) 



VIRGINIA llil. .III. I (.ii.t. 



L'iit. SiTp. N. Amor., 1H.'):5, p. 127 ; (Jopi-, Hull. I . >. Nat. Mu.s., ;i-,', l.-^7. j). .*);{. 



Head distinct from tlic body. Cephalic i)Iatcs normal. Two nasals; 

 jxKstcrior one not invaded by tlie nostril. Prefrontals and loral enteiinj; 

 into the orbit, and snppressin^ the anteorbitals. Sniierciliaries well 

 developed. Geneial scuta, '_' pairs. Piii)il circular. S(!ales smooth. 

 Postabdominal s(!utellun» bifid. Subcautlal scuta all divided. 



The distiiuttion of the head from the neck an<l the relatively narrow- 

 frontal jdate in this genus sn^jj^est allinities to tlie (Joronellina-. The 

 lateral head .scuta are like those of Rhabdosoma and its immediate 

 allies 



Ibit two species are i<nown : 



Scales wider, in 1.') rows ) . njli ri<r. 



Scales II.'IITOW, ill 17 rows /. > IrtKlim 



The species occur in both the eastern and Aiistroriparian districts; 

 th«> r. chuKHs in the western part of the latter only. 



Virginia valerise Hil. ami (Jiril. 



Cat. Serii. N. Aiiur., K);{, p. 127; Cope, Check List IJatr. Kept. N. Amor., 1-7.'). p. ;{.*>; 

 Jan, Icon. Gen. Opli. l, I'J ii ; Fi«;. ;'> ; C'ar])ho)>li is harper Hi Dnni., Hibr. Krp (ien., 



1854, VII, p. i:<r,. 

 Not yet found north of the ('arolinian division of the eastern «listrict. 



Virginia elegcuis Kenii. 



Proc. Acad. Phila., Irt.V.t, p. 'Jil ; Cope, Check Li«^t Haii. Ke]^t. N. Amer.. l>^7.'i. p. a.".; 

 Jan, Ic(Hi. (ieii. Oph. i, 12 ii ; I'ij^. i>. 



The specimens show considerable \ariation in tii«' nninbcr oi the 

 postocular scuta. Thus in two specimens from I'ort Towson, Arkansas, 

 (liOoo), there are .'3 on each side ; in riOL*'?, from .Mount Carmel, Illinois, 

 there are L' on each si<le ; and in l.'i*!.'?!,*, from Ilclotes, Texas, the L' are 

 fused into a lar<;e one on each side. 



The ditferencc l>etween this specnes and the V. raleritr are restrictetl 

 to the form and number of the scales. Tieyond these I have not been 

 able to detect any. 



CONTIA H.l. :ih<l (.ir.l. 



Cat. Serp. N. Amer.. H; :l, p. IKi; Cope. Proc. Acnd. Phila.. iH'.d, p. 2.'.! ; nnll. U. S. 

 Nat. Mns., 1S"<7, p. .'>:?; Sonom Mil. ami Oinl , Cat. ."^erp. N. Anx-r., l^.">.l, p. 117: 

 Eirenis Jan, lOleiieo .Sjst. d. Olidi, l-til!. p. 4-. 



Doutition complete, and the teetii t>l maxillary bone of eipial len};th. 

 The scales are smooth and without pit.s, and the anal plate is divided. 

 The head shields are normal ; the na.sal. usually entire in the penus, is 

 sometimes divided b\ a suture from the nostril to the labial border. 

 Two pairs of <;eneials ; a loreal ; rostral obtuse. The head is little dis- 

 tinct from the botly, and the jnij)!! is round. 



