1096 



EEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



sliare. The additional anterior temporal is derived from the cutting off 

 of the anterior inferior angle of the parietal — a character not seen iu 

 any of the other specimens of this genus at my disposal. 



Gastrosteges, IGl ; anal, 1-1; urosteges, Gl (extreme tip injured). 



Measurements. — Total length, 450 mm; tail, 95 mm. 



Conophis ritiatus sumichrastii Cope. 



CONIOPHANES Hallowell. 



Co?(ioj;/(a»?es Hallowell, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pliila., 1860, p. 484. — Cope, Proc. 



Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1860, p. 248. 

 Glaphyropliis Jan, Elenco Sist. d. Ofidi, 1863, p. 54. 

 Erythrolamprus Cope, Bull. U. S. Nat. INIns., No. 32, 1887, p. 55. — Boulenger, part, 



Cat. Snakes Brit. Mns., Ill, 1895, p. 199. 



Posterior maxillary teeth elongate, grooved; cephalic shield normal; 

 two nasals; loreal present. Scales smooth, without fossa. Anal and 

 subcaudal scuta divided. Pupil round. 



This genus is restricted to Central America and the adjacent parts 

 of the Columbian region, since a species (0. dromiciformis) is found on 

 the Pacific slope of the Andes, near the equator. The remaining nine 

 siiecies belong to Central America and Mexico, and one of them has 

 been taken iu the United States, on the lower Eio Grande. The typical 

 species are brown or red, with black stripes, and are of delicate and 

 handsome tints. Another pattern is seen in the U. lateritius Cope, of 

 western Mexico, which is a red species, with black head and neck. 

 The species known to me are characterized as follows: 



I. Scales iu twenty-five longitudinal rows. 



Superior labials, eight ; three broad longitudinal black bands . . C. jnceivitiis Cope. 



II. Scales in twenty-one rows; labials, eight. 



Sides dark above; a broad dorsal band ; light lines on the sides of the nape ; belly 

 unspotted C. pinictUjuUiris Cope. 



Sides shaded above; no dorsal bands nor abdominal spots; light lines on sides of 

 nape C. fisaidens Giinther. 



Lines very indistinct, none on nape; two rows of brown spots on belly. 



C. l>ip\inctatus Giiuther. 



III. Scales in nineteen rows. 



Labials, seven or eight; sides dark; a dark vertebral stripe; alight band behind 



each orbit C. impcriaJis Baird and Girard, 



Labials, seven ; frontal plate wide; head black; body red C, lateritius Co]}e. 



