40 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [Jan., 



oculars 1-2; temporals 1-2, the anterior elongated; upper labials 

 variable (in six which I have examined three have 7, one has 

 7-8, one has 8 and one has 9); 17 rows of scales, smooth on the 

 body, often faintly keeled on the tail; ventrals 118-130; subcau- 

 dals 32-54. Lustrous brownish black above, with a faint pale 

 longitudinal line on each scale, most strongly marked on the sides; 

 belly yellow or salmon color, each ventral with a small black bar 

 on the exterior and outer margin. Length 484 ram. (tail 109) ; 

 of another specimen 330 mm. (tail 50). 



Hab. — Florida. 



This species was included by Mr. Boulenger in his comprehensive 

 genus Tropidonotus, but the smooth body scales and absence of 

 scale pits, together with the wide difference in form and color pat- 

 tern, appear to me to Avarrant generic separation. I have observed 

 that in captivity these little snakes are fond of hiding under stones 

 or bark in moist soil, and this habit is confirmed by ^Ir. Lcennberg.^' 

 On the whole, I suspect that pygcea is a degenerating Tropidonotus 

 in process of acquiring subterranean habits. It is possible that the 

 light line on the dorsal scales may indicate the former presence of 

 keels, but lately lost. 



HELICOPS Wagler. 



Syst. Amph., 170 (1830); Liodytes Cope, /. c, 6G6; Uelicops Boul., 

 I. c, I, 272. 



Maxillary teeth smooth, posterior slightly longest, no interspace; 

 one lorcal ; one iuternasal; two nasals; body rather stout; scales 

 more or less keeled, usually without pits; anal divided. 



Hab. — Florida, tropical America and Africa, southern Asia. 



Helicops alleni Garman. 



Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., 1874, 92; Liodytes allenii Cope, I. c. , 

 667, and Kep. Nat. Mus., 1013 ; Helicops alleni Boul., I. c, I, 275. 



Maxillary teeth 16-18, syncranterian; mandibular teeth 18-20, 

 subequal; body short and stout; head slightly distinct; tail short; 

 head scales normal, except that the intcrnasal is single; oculars 

 1-3, the anterior occasionally extending upwaxxl to meet the fron- 

 tal; tempoi'als 1-2. In one specimen in my own collection the 

 parietals extend to the labials, behind the iiost-oculars ; upper 

 labials 7 or 8; scales in 19 rows, smooth excepting on the tail, 

 where a few rows are more or less distinctly keeled ; as a rule scale 



^^ Proc. V. 8. Nat. Mus., 1894, p. 323. 



