74. DEOMICUS. 121 



elongate. Rostral broader than deep, just visible from above ; inter- 

 nasals as long as broad, shorter than the pra^frontals ; frontal 

 twice as long as broad, longer than its distance from the end of the 

 snout, shorter than the parietals ; loreal longer than deep ; one 

 pra3- and two postoculars ; temporals 1+2, anterior very large; 

 eight upper labials, third, fourth, and fifth entering the eye ; five 

 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are 

 shorter than the posterior. Scales in 17 rows. Ventrals obtusely 

 angulate laterally, 164-180 ; anal usually divided ; subcaudals 1U2- 

 129. Length of tail 3 to 3| times in the total length. Olive 

 or pale brown above, uniform or with small dark spots, or dark 

 brown with small yellow spots ; a more or less distinct dark X~ 

 shaped marking on the head, the longitudinal branch on the parietal 

 suture ; young with a dark streak on each side of the head, passing 

 through the eye ; yellowish or pale olive interiorly. 



Total length 1150 millim. 



Bahamas, Cuba, Caymans. 



a. $ (V. 173 ; C. ?). Cuba. M. Salle [C.]. 



b. Yg. (V.176; C. 108). Cuba. 



c. 5 (V. 180 ; C. 113j. Little Cayman. Lieut. A. Carpenter [P.]. 



d. e. Skulls. Cuba. 



3. Dromicus ater. 



Natrix atra, Gosse, Nat. SoJ. Jamaica, p. 228 (1851). 



capistrata, Gosse, I. c. p. 371. 



Dromicus ater, Giinth. Cat. p. 127 (1858) ; Jan, Icon. Gen. 23, pi. iv. 



(1867). 

 Alsophis ater, Co]ie, Proc. Ac. Philad. 1862, p. 76 ; Garm. Proc. Am. 



Phllos. Soc. xxiv. 1887, p. 282. 

 Dromicus (Ocvophis) ater, Bocourt, Miss. Sc. 3Ii>x., Rent. p. 713, pi. 1. 



fig. 1 (1890"). 

 ater, var. iuconstans (Jan), Bocourt, I. c. p. 714, fig. 2. 



Eye moderate, with projecting superciliary border; snout moderate. 

 Rostral twice as broad as deep, scarcely visible from above ; inter- 

 nasals as long as broad, shorter than the pr£efroutals ; frontal once 

 and a half to once and two thirds as long as broad, longer than its 

 distance from the end of the snout, shorter than the parietals ; no 

 loreal, proefrontal in contact with the second and third labials ; one 

 prte- and two postoculars; temporals 1+2; eight upper labials, 

 third, fourth, and fifth entering the eye; five lower labials in contact 

 with the anterior chin-sbields, which are shorter than the posterior. 

 Scales in 17 rows. Ventrals 171-18.5; anal divided; subcaudals 

 144-162. Length of tail 2| to 2| times in the total length. Olive 

 above and below, uniform or dotted with black ; a more or less 

 distinct dark line on each side of the head, passing through the eye ; 

 some specimens uniform black. 



Total length 1100 millim.; tail 430. 



Jamaica. 



