1136 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898, 



Geueral form robust, but less so than iu the A. i^isclrorus. Rostral 

 plate truncate above and uot appeariu,y on the sui)erior face of the 

 muzzle, the lateral borders a little coucave. Prefrontals much larger 

 than internasals. Frontal about as^ long- as wide, the lateral borders 

 about as long as the superciliary borders. The superciliary plates are 

 large, and extend both anterior and posterior to the frontal. Occipitals 

 shorter than parietals, and longer than frontal, and longer than wide. 

 Prenasal about as long as postnasal and much deeper. Loreal as deep 

 as long, its superior border shorter than the inferior. Three preoculars, 

 the superior the largest, longer than deep, and sometimes touching the 

 postnasal above the loreal. Middle preocular narrow and bounding 

 the pit above, cutting off the loreal from its border. Inferior preocular 

 minute, followed anteriorly by the narrow inferior loreal which bounds 

 the pit below. Superior labials generally eight, but frequently seven, 

 the deficiency in number, when present, posterior to the orbit. Second 

 sujterior labial twice as high as long, bounding the ijit in front and 



Fig. 3JG. 



ANCISTBODOX COJJTOKTRIX LlNN.EUS. 



= 1. 



Cat. No. 13450, U.S.X.M. 



reaching the loreal and middle preocular above. Third labial subtri- 

 angular. Postocular scales three, suboculars two, all small. Tempo- 

 rals 5-6, all smooth; those of the inferior row a little smaller than the 

 labials, the row succeeding upward a little smaller, the rest quite small. 

 Scales of the occiput and nape small, the former smooth, the latter 

 weakly keeled. Inferior labials ten, fourth largest; those following 

 longer than deep. Geneials very short, the posterior shorter and sepa- 

 rated by scales. 



Tlie body scales are in twenty-three rows and all are keeled, but the 

 first row very indistinctly, the development of the keels increasing 

 upward. Those of the first row are rounded, and they become more 

 angulate in successive rows to the median line; but they are not nar- 

 rowed at the latter region. 



Above light hazel brown, rather brighter on the top of the head, and 

 everywhere minutely mottled with very fine dai k points. On each side 

 is a series of 15-26 darker chestnut-colored blotches resting on the 



