HEKPETOLOGY OF POKTO KICO. (Ul 



by an unpaired postmental and three chin-shields on each side, the 

 first pair being in contact on the middle line, the posterior two sep- 

 arated by a median scale; ear opening round, small, about the size of 

 the disk of the lower eyelid, without projecting- scales in front; dorsal 

 scales perfectly smooth; 32 scales round the middle of the body, 61 on 

 middle line from chin to vent; limbs overlapping when pressed against 

 the side; vent bordered anteriorly by six scales, the two middle pairs 

 somewhat enlarged. 



Color (in alcohol) above bronzy tawny olive with a pale dorso- 

 lateral band extending from the supranasals over the superciliaries to 

 the middle of the lx)dy where it gradually disappears; this band is 

 bordered above b}^ a narrow and often disconnected line of dark 

 brown spots and below by a broad dark brown band from nostrils 

 over ear and shoulder, gradually becoming lighter and disappearing 

 on the groin; lal)ials and lower parts pale olive butf with a touch of 

 bluish, labials dark edged; sides of neck in front of shoulder and 

 upper parts of limbs spotted with dark l>rown. 



]>hncii!iiuiis. 



mm. 



Snout to veut 73 



Snout to ear opening 14. 5 



Axilla to groin 36 



Fore liml) 20 



Hind limb 25 



Tail defective. 



VaHation. — This species, like all the others of the genus, shows con- 

 siderable variation, especially in the head shields. Thus, the type has a 

 remarkably short frontonasal, l)ehind which the prefrontals are broadly 

 in contact. Sometimes there are only four supralabials in front of the 

 so-called subocular, which in this case is the fifth labial. Garman 

 states that there are occasionally only three supraoculars, and that the 

 number of scales on median line between chin and vent varies from 60 

 to 63, but a larger series would probabl}' show a greater variation. 

 The normal number of scales around the bod^y is stated to l)e 30. 



The two specimens recorded by Boulenger from Mona Island have 

 the supranasals touching behind the ventral without forming a suture; 

 frontonasal broader than long: five or six supralabials anterior to sub- 

 ocular; 32 scales around the bod}^; typical coloring. 



Three specimens from Mona Island in the museum at Hamburg (No. 

 1476 a-c) have all two pairs of nuchals and two pairs of chin-shields in 

 contact; in two specimens the supranasals are in contact, while in one 

 they are barely separated. K fourth specimen (No. 1206) has the 

 supranasals similarly arranged and in addition three pairs of nuchals. 



Habitat . — This species, which is recorded from Vieques (Riise), Porto 

 Rico (Cope, Peters, Gundlach, Stahl, Garman), and Mona (Boulenger, 

 Meerwarth), must be quite rare now, as it was not seen either by Mr. 



