860 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



Specimens from the Lower Kio Cxraude have a good deal of brown on 

 the bases, edges, or tips of the scales, thus approaching the form melan- 

 urus. On the other hand, specimens from the sea islands of Georgia 

 are everywhere pure black, except some brownish-red shades on the 

 throat and chin. Specimens from this locality have in some instances 

 but seven superior labials, and I do not know of any which has eight 

 on both sides. Two specimens (Cat. Nos. 4457, 4458) have seven on one 

 side and eight on the other. The species Spilotes conperii was proposed 

 by Dr. Holbrook for this form, but I find no characteristic to sepa- 

 rate it from the individuals from the other Gulf States and Texas, 

 except the number of labials, and this is, as observed, variable. 



Baird and Glrard give the following scutal formula and dimensions, 

 the latter in inches : 



Locality. Gastrosteges. TJrosteges. Lengtli. Tail. 



Altamaha, Georgia 184 + 1. 60. 60. 11 



Eagle Pass, Texas 193 + 1. 60. 45i. 7f 



Do 193 + 1. 60. 48^. Of 



The largest specimen in the U. S. National Museum is from Gaines- 

 ville, Florida. Its length is 1,117 mm., of which the tail is 270 mm. 



Spilotes corais couperii Holbi'ook. 



Locality. 



When 

 collected. 



Liberty County, Georgia. 



do" 



Eagle Pass, Texas 



Brownsville, Texas 



Matamoras, Mexico 



Brunswick, CJeorgia 



Lower Rio Grande 



Matamoras, ^Icxico 



Gainesville, Florida 



do 



do 



July 



May • 



1880 

 1880 



Florida i 



Milton, Florida May 



Clearwater, Florida 



Gainesville, Florida 



San Diego, Texas 



1881 

 1879 



Whence obtained. 



Dr. W. L. Jones 



do 



A. Schott ... 



Capt.S.VanVliet, U.S.A. 

 Capt.John Pope,U. S. A. 



D. C. Dowme 



A. Schott 



Lieutenant Couch,D'.S.A 



James Bell. 

 do 



do 



S. T. Walker . 



do 



James Bell... 

 AVm. Taylor.. 



Nature of 

 specimen. 



Alcoholic, 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 



do. 

 do. 



do. 

 do. 

 do. 



EPIGLOTTOPHIS Cope. 

 Epiglottophh Cope, Trans. Amer. Phil. Soc, XVIII, 1895, p. 204. 



Hemipenis colubriform, with numerous calyces. Teeth equal. Scales 

 in an unequal number of rows with paired pits; anal plate entire, sub- 

 caudals divided. Two prefrontal and two internasal i)lates. A com- 

 pressed prominent epiglottis. Pupil round. 



This genus is PityopMs with only two prefrontal i)lates. It includes 

 with present information, two species of the Medicolumbian region, 

 which differ as follows : 



Head shorter; supraocular plates wide; a median series of large quadrate dorsal 

 spots E. pleurostictus Dumeril and Bibron. 



Head longer; (supraorbital plates narrow; longitudinal black stripes, broken pos- 

 teriorly and becoming transverse oc-shaped spots E. lineaticollis Cope. 



