1094 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



coliimbiau region, although the si)ecimeus iu the U. S. Natioual Museum 

 are from the Tierra Calieute. 

 Sumichrast says of this species : 



This serpent is peculiar to western Mexico. It is not common and is found 

 especially in sandy regions, sometimes iu the interior of the forest, sometimes on 

 the borders of streams. Its extreme agility renders its capture difficult. Without 

 being aquatic, it has the manners of the Tropidonoti, with which one is inclined to 

 confound it on first sight, if the retrouse muzzle did not give it an entirely peculiar 

 expression. 



I would add that the black color round the mouth and chin adds to 

 its decidedly suspicious physiognomy. 



There is some doubt as to the correct name of this species. The 

 description of Jan iu 1863 is scarcely sufScient to sustain his name, and 

 in 1862 I described a species as Liophis putnamii — a species which 

 belongs to the genus Dromicus. It was not, however, called Dromicus 

 putnamii until after 1863. 



CONOPHIS Peters. 



Conophis Peters, Monatsber. Berl. Akad. Wiss., 1860, p. 519. — Cope, Jour. 

 Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1875, p. 137.— Boulenger, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus., 

 2ded., Ill, 1896, p. 122. 



Elongated grooved tooth separated from others by an interspace. 

 Hemipenis bifurcate, apex with a few calyces, between which and the 

 spinous portion it is flounced. Eostral plate prominent, decurved, 

 concave below. Scales smooth; anal and subcaudals divided. Nasals 

 divided, nostril bordering internasal plate. 



This genus holds a rather isolated position among American genera, 

 but it is quite similar to and probably allied to the genus BhampMopMs 

 Peters, which inhabits the sandy parts of Africa. Both genera have the 

 decurved muzzle and claw-like rostral plate, which is designed for 

 scooping a cavity iu the soil by a downward movement, as opposed to 

 the upward movement usual in other snakes. 



I. Seven upper labials. 



a. Temporals in two rows; loreal higher than long. 



Body without bands, but faint traces of them on first, third, and seventb 



rows of scales C. lineaiiceps Cope. 



Body banded on third and eighth rows ; dorsal bands distinct. C.vittatus Peters. 



II. Eight upper labials. 



a. Two rows of temporals. 



Loreal higher than long; six longitudinal bands, the lower on the first row 

 of scales, two dorsal, none on the belly; head, brown, yellow banded. 



C.pulcher Cope. 

 Loreal long, or longer than high; no bands except short one from muzzle 



through eye C. concolor Cope. 



aa. One row of temporals in ftont; large ones behind. 



Loreal longer than high; bands on all the scales except those of the fifth 

 row on each side C. Jineatus Dumeril and Bibrou. 



Of the above species the only one which extends its range to the 

 Mexican plateau is the G. vittatus. The others belong to the Tierra 



