CROCODILUNS, LIZARDS, AND SNAKES. 



839 



Eyes large. Frontal plate pentagoiia], slightly concave on the sides, 

 equalling in length ihe commissure of the parietals. The lower ])ortion 

 of the anterior ojbital is narrower than in S. krfus. Loreal trapezoidal. 

 Two elongated and small temj)oral shields in the first row. U])per 

 labials eight, seventh largest; lower labials ten, fifth largest. Eostral 

 hexagonal. Scales very thin, lozenge-shaped, in twenty-seven dorsal 

 rows. Slight traces of carination may be observed on the five or eight 

 medial rows. The outer row is composed of scales as high as long; in 

 the second row they are perceptibly larger than the remaining ones. 



Ground-color above creamy yellow to brownish gray, with four longi- 

 tudinal brown bands, covering each one entire row of scales and the 

 half of the adjoining rows. The lateral bands thus extend along the 



Fig. 192. 



COLDBER QUADRIVITTATUS HOLBROOK. 



= 1. 



Arlington, Florida. 



Cat. No. 9691, U.S.N. M. 



third, fourth, and fifth rows, the fourth being tne one entirely covered. 

 The dorsal bands extend along the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth rows, 

 the eleventh being entirely covered. The space between the dorsal and 

 lateral band embraces four entire rows of scales, and the half of the 

 adjoining ones. The dorsal space between the dorsal bands comprises 

 three entire rows of scales and the half of the adjoining rows. The 

 abdomen, head, and tail beneath are light straw-color with obscure 

 traces of gray spots. On the removal of the epidermis the dark bands 

 disappear to a considerable extent, and then indistinct and obsolete 

 quadrate spots become visible on the sides, and on the back, the latter 

 occupying the space between the median ])air of bands. The edges of 

 many of the scales are lighter. 



These spots are distinct in young specimens, and disappear with 

 advancing maturity. 



