CROCODILTANS, LIZARDS, AND SNAKES. 



291 



The posterior edge of the hinder blotch is just liulf way between the 

 fore and hind leys. 



Specimens from the lower Eio Grande differ from the types from near 

 Indianola in lighter colors, less conspicuous mottling on chin, and still 

 flatter and more depressed head. Tiie cephalic plates are more flat- 

 tened and less pyramidal; the tail longer. 



I did not observe the H. propinqua in any part of Texas visited by 

 myself. Mr. Marnock finds it abundant near Helotes, and I'rofessor 

 Baird's types came from south of San Antonio. It is doubtless a 

 southwestern species. 



Holhrookia propinqHa. 



HOLBROOKIA MACULATA Girard. 



Holhrookia maculata Girard, Proc. Amer. Assoc. Adv. Sci., IV, 1851, p. 201 ; Stans- 

 bury. Report, 1852, p. 342, pi. iv, figs. 1-3, Reptiles. — Baird and Girard, 

 Marcy Red River, 1853, p. 236.— Hallowell, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pliila., VIII, 

 October, 1856, p. 239.— A. Dumkril, Arch. Mus., VIII, 1856, p. 546.— BocouRT, 

 Miss. Sc. Mex. Rept., 1874, p. 161, pi. xvii bis, fig. 7.— Cope, Bull. U. S. Nat. 

 Mus., XVII, 1880, p. 15.— BouLENGER, Cat. Liz. Brit. Mus., II, 188.5, p. 209. 



approximans Baird, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1858, p. 253. — BocouRT, 



Miss. Sc. Mex. Rept., 1874, p. 163. 



Scales on back rather large, wider for 6 or 8 scales, then more later- 

 ally; about 125 from head to anus; head broad, very short and convex; 

 the lateral profile of upper part gently or rapidly convex to the mouth. 

 Upper labials six; temporal plates smaller than those on the side of 

 chin. Hind toe about one-third the head and body; free portion of its 

 longest toe equal to length of cephalic plates. 



Above olive or ashy gray or green with sometimes a dorsal series of sub- 

 ([uadrate dark blotches into lighter areola. Beneath white, the tail 

 beneath without bands. A whitish stripe from eye along the sides 

 below the dorsal blotches. A second less distinct from mouth in line 

 with lower edge of colored sides. Both sometimes broken up into small 

 spots also seem more or less thickly on sides and above. Two oval 

 indigo-black spots in anterior half of each side scarcely visible from 

 below. 



There are four subspecies of this species, which difter as follows: 



I. Snout more pointed; anterior supralabials narrower; muzzle plates smaller. 

 Under surface of tail black spotted ; no black spots on sides ; dorsal spots large, 



transverse, yellow bordered, digitate posteriorly If. m. lacerata. 



Spots absent or rarely present on inferior side of tail; two small ones on each 

 side; dorsal spots small H. m. maculata. 



