812 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 18^8. 



yellow lines of the opposite sides are margined with yellow along their 

 basal edges, only evident on separating the scales. Anteriorly is a 

 short yellow line along the junction of the second and third rows of 

 scales, extending to about the twenty-fifth abdominal scutella. 



Color beneath, with the greater part of the scutelhie, closely and 

 minutely blotched with greenish slate. Anteriorly a shade of yellow 

 appears, and near the head the blotching is in two series, as in the rest 

 of the genus. The tail also is nearly unspotted yellowish, except ante- 

 riorly. On the external fourth of the abdominal scutelhe the blotching 

 is more confluent, forming a well-defined margin to the lower yellow 

 line. Anteriorly the side of the abdomen is of a dull red. The upper 

 jaw is yellowish white, excepting the lower edges along the first to the 

 sixth labials, which are black. Orbitals, loreal, and nasals with a yel- 

 low central spot. 



The lateral stripes become obsolete at about three- fiftlis of the length 

 from the head, so that the body posteriorly is nearly unicolor above. 

 Upper labials yellow, unspotted, but margined below (except the last 

 two) with black, and margined above with greenish slate posterior to 

 the orbit, and brown anterior to it. The nasals, loreal, and preocular 

 have yellow median spot each, but the temporal region and top of head 

 are a uniform greenish slate. 



Baird and Girard give the following scutal formula, and measure- 

 ments in inches: 



Eagle Pass, Texas ; gastroteges, 201+1 ; urosteges, 138 ; total length, 54i ; tail, 17f . 



But two adult specimens referable to this species are known, and 

 they agree in every respect, and differ in coloration and the form of the 

 frontal plate from eight specimens of the Z. lateralis, which species they 

 most nearly resemble. The latter all possess also seventeen rows of 

 scales, while the Z. schottii possesses fifteen. Some young specimens, 

 however, are in some resi)ects intermediate. So far as regards the form 

 of the frontal plate their characters may be those of immaturity. Thus 

 Cat. No. 1 1423 has in all respects the coloration of the Z. lateralis, but 

 has only fifteen rows of scales. Cat. No. 1982 has a trace of the inferior 

 lateral stripe of the Z. schottii, but the space between it and the 

 superior lateral stripe is lined, and the head and labial plates are 

 spotted, both characters of the Z. tamiatus. Cat. No. 1974 has a trace 

 of the inferior stripe on the middle third of the length, while the 

 superior stripe extends on the anterior two-thirds. The coloration of 

 the head is exactly that of the Z. schottii. It may indicate a sub- 

 species of this species. 



