CKOCODILIANS, LIZARDS, AND SNAKES. 



851 



the last (eighth) superior labial. The sixth aud seventh sui^erior labials 

 are of equal elevation, and a little higher than the eighth. Inferior 

 labials 14. Postgeneials much smaller than pregeueials. Scales in 

 29 rows; the fifteen median rows keeled, most of them distinctly. First 

 row a little larger than second. 



The ground color is brown, and it is crossed on the back (in the 

 typical specimen) by 29 spots anterior to the vent, which have 

 lounded angles and are of a dark brown color, with darker borders, 

 and these again with paler borders on the median dorsal region. 

 These spots are wider than long except the three or four anterior ones. 

 They alternate with large brown spots on the sides, which are elongate 

 antero-posteriorly on the anterior part of the body. Each one cor- 

 responds to two smaller, very indistinct spots below it on the ends of 



Fis:. 196. 



COLCBEK L^TUS UAIED AND OlKAKl). 

 = 1. 



Port Smith, Arkansas. 



Cat. No. 2?57, U.S.N.M. 



the gastrosteges, which are, on the posterior two-thirds of the body, 

 confluent into a dusky band. These bands continued on the inferior 

 side of the tail. The abdomen is unspotted anteriorly, but near the 

 middle has traces of spots on each side, which are soon lost in a gen 

 eral cloudiness, bounded by a light streak on each side, at the position 

 of the angle of the gastrosteges. 



On each side of the nape is a dusky band which extends forward 

 across the external border of the parietal plate, over the entire supra 

 orbital plate, and crosses to meet that of the opposite side, involving 

 the entire prefrontal ])lates except the anterior border. A similar band 

 connects the lateral bands across the posterior part of tlie frontal i)hite. 

 No postocular band nor labial borders, but the yellow of the sui)crioi- 

 labial plates is bounded above by the border of the dark color of the 



