THE HERPETOLOGY OF HISPANIOLA 



243 



these specimens the pattern is as clear and brilliant as in the males in 

 all except No. 74113, where only traces of the light and dark stripes 

 remain. The largest male, No. 74100, measures 62 mm. from snout 

 to beginning of tail. 



The internasal plates are elongate and undivided in 13 of the topo- 

 types, while they are transversely divided in 14 individuals. In two 

 others they are divided on one side of the head only. From these 

 figures we may see that there is just about as much tendency for the 

 internasals to split as there is for the persistence of the single plate. 

 In other respects the species is not subject to any conspicuous varia- 

 tions. 



Specimens examined. — As listed in table 44. 



Table 44. — Specimens of Hispaniolus pratensis examined 



Family ANGUIDAE 



KEY TO THE ANGUID GENERA FOUND ON HISPANIOLA 



a 1 . Ear opening present. 



ft 1 . Limbs well developed, pentadactyle Celestus (p. 243) 



b 2 . Limbs weak, tetradactyle Sauresia (p. 255) 



a 2 . No ear opening Wetmorena (p. 259) 



No particular difficulties appear to be presented by either Wet- 

 morena or Sauresia, in which a considerable degree of fixation of 

 characters has been attained. The genus Celestus, however, through- 

 out its range presents a multiplicity of diversification among individuals 

 of the same species, so that much confusion has arisen wherever its 

 exceedingly variable characters have been noted. 



Genus CELESTUS Gray 



1838. Celestus Gray, Ann. Nat. Hist., vol. 2, p. 288 (type, C. striatus). 



The earliest known Hispaniolan Celestus is costatus. It has been 

 called variously by many names, and much confusion has resulted 

 therefrom. Its closest relationships are in Jamaica. It is distin- 

 guished from either of the two Jamaican species, however, by its 

 usually longer and heavier limbs, the hindleg of costatus being 25 (in 

 only 12 cases) to 35 percent (in 35 cases) of the length of the head 

 and body, while in both the Jamaican species it ranges from 20 to 30 

 percent. The heavier foot structure of costatus is expressed in the 



