928 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



The typical specimen still continues to be tlie only one known. 



This species so much resembles the Gontia mitis as to lead to the sus- 

 picion that its generic i^eculiarities are abnormalities of the head scuta. 

 The relations of the loreal plate are, however, symmetiical, and the 

 frontal plate is wider than in the C. mitis. The coloration is identical 

 in alcohol. The head is relatively shorter; and to this fact are to be 

 ascribed its tegumental peculiarities. It is in any case a type of recent 

 origin. 



CEMOPHORA Cope. 



Cemophora Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1860, p. 244; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 



No. 32, 1887, p. 50 ; Proc. U. S.Nat. Mus., XIV, 1892, p. G02.— Jax, ElencoSist. 



Olid., 1863, p. 45; Arch. Zool. Anat. Phys., II, 1863, p. 230.— Bocourt, Miss. 



Sci. Mex., Rept., 1883, p. 567. — Boulenger, Cat, Suakes Brit. Mus., II, 1894, 



p. 213. 

 Stasiotes Jan, Arch. Zool. Anat. Phys., II, 1862, p. 75. 



Head small, continuous with the body. Rostral plate large, promi- 

 nent, subtrihedral. One pair of prefrontal plates and one of internasals. 

 One nasal; nostril in the middle. One loreal. Preorbitals and postor- 

 bitals present. Superciliaries, eyes, and mouth small. Teeth longer 

 posteriorly. Scales smooth. Postabdominal scutella entire. Sub- 

 caudal scutellse bihd. 



But one sjjecies of this genus is known. Its general characters are 

 as follows: 



Scales iu 19 rows; superior labials six, the eye over the third; tail about oue-eighth 

 of total length ; red, crossed by pairs of black rings separated by a yellow one, 

 which is divided by a black spot on the side C. coecinea. 



CEMOPHORA COCCINEA Blumenbach, 



Cemophora coecinea Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1860, p. 244; Proc. U. S. Nat. 



Mus., XIV, 1892, p. 602.— Jan, Arch, Zool. Anat. Phys., II, 1863, p. 230; Icon, 



G6n. Ophid., 1865, Pt. 11, pi. v, figs. 1, 2.— Garman, N. Amer, Rept,, 1883, p. 78, 



pi. VI, tig. 1. — BocouRT, Miss. Sci. Mex., Rept., 1883, p. 567, pi, xxxv, lig. 6.— 



Boulenger, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus., II, 1894, p. 214, 

 Cemophora copii Jan, Icon G<5n. Ophid., 1865, p. 11, pi, v, fig, 3, 

 Coluber coccineus Blumenbach, Voigt's Mag. Phys. u. Naturg., V, 1788, p. 11, pi. i. — 



Daudin, Rept., VII, 1803, p. 43, pi. Lxxxiii, fig. 1, — Harlan, Journ. Acad, Nat. 



Sci. Phila., V, 1827, p, 356 ; Phys. Med. Res., 1835, p. 119. 

 Elaps coccineuH Merrem, Tent., 1820, p. 145. 



Heterodon coccineus Schlegel, Ess. Phys. Serp., II, 1837, p, 102, j)l, in, figs, 15, 16. 

 Bhinoitoma coccineus Holbrook, N. Amer. Herp,, III, 1842, p. 125, pi. xxx. — Baird 



and GiRARD, Cat. N, Amer. Rept., 1853, p. 118; Rep, U. S. Expl, Surv. R. R., X, 



Pt. 3, 18.39, pi. XXXIII, tig. 89. 

 Simotes coccineus Dumeril and Bibron, Erp, G6n., VII, 1854. — Gunther, Cat. 



Colubr. Suakes Brit. Mus., 1858. 



Body yellowish red (said to be crimson in life), crossed by pairs of 

 black rings, inclosing each a yellow one. 



Body slender, cylindrical, tense, and rigid. Dorsal scales rhomboidal, 

 rather elongated. Vertical plate very large, cordiform or subhexagonal. 

 almost as broad anteriorly as long; obtuse angled before, acute angled 

 behind; the two outer sides short, parallel. Occipitals large, a little 



