124 BULLETIN 17 7, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



crescent on the occiput and have a narrow median stripe extending 

 forward between the eyes. There are also two other dark streaks 

 more or less well defined extending backAvard from the orbit. Two 

 or tliree streaks are found anterior to each thigh and two conspicuous 

 ones along the posterior aspect of the thigh and along the tail. The 

 spotting of the ventral surface varies considerably, but in the females 

 there is usually more streaking than in the males. 



"The dorsal color of these lizards varied in life from light to dark 

 brown. The lighter ones had a decidedly orange tinge on the head 

 and tail. The belly was usually a light yellowish-brown or grayish 

 color. 



"Habitat. — Specimens of this species were first found under loose 

 rough chunks of limestone on the rocky headland, thirty to fifty 

 feet above sea-level at the southeast end of Alta Vela. They were 

 later found under rocks and in crevices in outcropping limestone in 

 the low field at the northern end of the island. Still others were 

 taken from under loose rocks high on the ridges in the center of the 

 island. 



"Remarks. — We have compared our series of twenty paratypcs 

 (A.M.N.H. Nos 51472-87, 51489-92) with Sphaerodactylus from 

 various parts of the adjacent mainland and have found no specimens 

 which exhibit the combination of characters seen in the Alta Vela 

 series. No doubt several species have been confused imder the name 

 difficilis, but until the variation of this species has been determined 

 the exact relationships of altavelensis cannot be fully stated." 



A male paratype, A.M.N.H. No. 51487, differs slightly from the 

 type description, as it has eight or nine scales to the standard dis- 

 tance; the interval between center of eye and tip of snout equals 

 that between center of eye and posterior ear; the nostril on left side 

 is followed by three small subequal scales in addition to supranasal; 

 the single scale between supranasals equal to scales following it; 

 mental two-thirds as long as broad; four infralabials, the last very 

 small; preanal patch of male arrow-shaped, about 6 scales high and 

 13 wide, the posterior angles continuing for two or three scales' 

 distance onto the femur. Head and body, 25 mm.; tail (incomplete), 

 23 mm.; head length, 6.5 mm.; snout to center of eye, 3.5 mm.; head 

 width, 4.5 mm.; fore limb, 5 mm.; hind limb, 10 mm. 



Family IGUANIDAE 



Genus XIPHOCERCUS Fitzinger 



1843. Xiphocercus Fitzinger, S3'stema reptilium, p. 67 (type, Anoh's valencien- 

 nesii Dum^ril and Bibron). — Barbour, Proc. New England Zool. Club, 

 vol. 7, p. 62, 1920 (emend.). 



The finding of an example of this genus in southwestern Haiti is 

 one more proof of the close relationship of this region with Jamaica. 



