HERPETOLOGY OF JAPAN. 289 



than long, upper edge considerably shorter than lower ; one preocular 

 widely separated from frontal; eye rather small; three postoculars; 

 2 + 2 temporals, the upper one of the second row fusing with the one 

 behind it so as to form a large irregular shield bordering the parietal 

 laterally; 9 supralabials, fourth and fifth entering eye, seventh and 

 eighth largest ; five lower labials in contact with anterior pair of chin- 

 shields, which are much shorter than posterior; 19 rows of scales, 

 without pores, rather feebly keeled, the two outer rows smooth; 140 

 ventrals; anal divided; 74 pairs of subcaudals. Color (in alcohol) 

 pale tawTiy-olive, with numerous small black spots in four, alternat- 

 ing, longitudinal rows, the lower ones on the third and fourth 

 scale rows largest and most distinct anteriorly; head nearly uniform 

 above, with a pale black-edged oval spot on the posterior end of the 

 interparietal suture and the scale immediately behind ; a similar but 

 smaller dot on each side of the interparietal suture near the frontal; 

 sides of head pale, the anterior supralabials without black margins; a 

 sharply defined narrow black line from the lower edge of the eye 

 obliquely backward following the suture between sixth and seventh 

 supralabials to the commissure ; a similar line from the upper postoc- 

 ular parallel with the other across temporals and eight supralabials to 

 the lip, which it crosses where the suture between eighth and ninth 

 supralabials join the commissure; the broad band between these 

 black lines lighter and somewhat yellower than the rest of the head; 

 back of the angle of mouth a similarly colored crescentic nuchal band 

 interruptedly outlined by black; lower side pale, ventrals and sub- 

 caudals narrowly margined with blackish. 



Dimensions. 



mm. 



Total length 673 



Snout to vent 497 



Vent to tip of tail 176 



Specimens of this species measuring 1,200 mm. are on record. 



The young (U.S.N.M. No. 34051) slightly more than 150 mm. long, 

 is colored essentially as the adult described above, only the pattern is 

 more definite, the spots larger, especially those on the sides wliich 

 descend to the ventrals and join their blackish margins; there is also 

 a median dorsal row of spots which has become obsolete in the adult, 

 so that the back is regularly checkered; the contrast between the 

 light color of the postocular band and the rest of the sides of the 

 head is very marked. 



Variation. — The six Formosan specimens examined by me show 

 great constancy in the scale formula, as all have 19 scale rows, 9 

 supralabials, 2 + 2 temporals (one has 3 + 2 on one side), and one pre- 

 ocular. Four have 3 postoculars on both sides, one has 3 on one 



26485— No. 58—07 19 



