900 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



At the same date I described this subspecies under two names, 

 Ophibolns micropholis and 0. polyzonus. On finding them to be identi- 

 cal I selected for the form the name ^'•polyzomis^'''' although it appeared 

 on the page following the one on which " micropholis''^ was printed. The 

 name '■'' polyzonus'''' has been repeatedly used since, while the name 

 '•'■ micropliolis''^ has been allowed to disappear. Dr. Boulenger, however, 

 in his Catalogue of Snakes in the British Museum, revives the latter name 

 without explanation, but probably because it appeared one page earlier 

 than the name ^'■polyzonus.'''' I think this course unjustifiable and calcu- 

 lated to produce confusion. It is generally understood that of two i 

 names simultaneously published, an author has the right to select 

 whichever one he chooses when the two apply to the same thing. 

 Moreover, Boulenger regards it as a full species, whereas formerly he 

 agreed with me that it can only be maintained as a subspecies of the 

 Osceola doliata. If one examines the analytical table or compares the 

 diagnoses of this and the allied forms in the Catalogue of the British i 

 Museum he will not find- any characters given to substantiate this * 

 change of view, but rather evidence that the first opinion of Dr. Bou- 

 lenger was the correct one. 



Sumichrast in his manuscript notes, says of this subspecies: 



Among the numerous Mexican snakes which are called " coralillas," this one attains 

 the Inrgest dimensions. It is distributed throughout the warm and temperate 

 regions, but disappears in the alpine region, where, at least, I have never observed 

 it. This snake prefers shaded localities, as plains covered with tall herbs and along ; 

 rivers. Although of a very harmless disposition, it is not easily caught, since on i 

 being alarmed it glides swiftly through the vegetation and is not long in disappear- 

 ing in the gallery excavated by some other animal. It also lives in the enormous 

 nests of the ant Orcodoma Inexicana, on which it warms itself iu the sun. Although 

 entirely inoffensive, it does not escape the charge of being poisonous, as all the 

 coralillas are supposed to be by the natives. 



OSCEOLA ELAPSOIDEA Holbrook. 



Osceola elapsoidea Baikd and Gikard, Cat. N. Amer. Rept., Pt. 1, Serp., 1853, p. r 

 133.— Cope, Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc, 1877, p. 65; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 1, 1875. " 

 Calamaria elapsoidea Holboook, N. Amer. Herp., Ill, 1812, p. 119, pi. xxviii. 

 Coronella doliata Boulknger, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus., II, 1894, p. 205. 



Snout projecting over the lower jaw; mouth deeply cleft. Vertical 

 plate hexagonal, longer than broad anteriorly. Occipitals large, 

 elongated, and angular. Postfrontals very large, extending to the sec- 

 ond upper labial. Prefrontals proportionately well developed and 

 trapezoidal. Rostral very broad. Nostrils very large, occupying the 

 whole inner margin of the nasals, and visible from above. Anteorbital 

 narrow, resting on the third labial. Middle of the eye over the com- 

 missure of the third and fourth labial. Two angular postorbitals, 

 inferior one situated on the commissure between the fourth and fifth 

 labials. One large temporal shield, anterior, several posterior ones 

 smaller. Upper labials seven, sixth largest; inferior labials seven, 

 fifth largest. 



