HERPETOLOGY OF PORTO RICO. 



697 



Color of living specmn n. — U.S.N.M. No.26883; Catalina Plantation; 

 March 2, 1900; L. Stejneger, No. i)(>42. General color purplish red- 

 dish-brown; underside whitish, with a pinkish tinge on the median 

 line; markings (fig. 1(54) dusky; iris reddish silvery. 



Habitat. -This species appears to be strictly confined to Porto Rico, 

 and probably does not go much higher than 1,000 feet altitude. Some 

 doubt attaches to the locality 

 given for specimen No. 25529 

 (Adjuntas) and it w:is proba- 

 bly collected at a lower level. 



Remarks. — This snake was 

 first recorded from Porto 

 Rico by Professor Peters on 

 the strength of several speci- 

 mens received at the Berlin 

 Museum from Dr. Gundlach, 

 but he erroneously identified 

 them with Dromicus parvi- 

 frons from Haiti, of which he 

 had no specimens for comparison. The latter species is very different, 

 however, not only in having many more subcaudals (in 33 specimens 

 110 to 130), but also in a different color pattern, as shown in fig. 166. 



As a matter of fact, the Porto Rican species, here described as new, 

 is much more closely allied to Cope's Dromicus exiguus from the Vir- 

 gin Islands, the chief difference consisting in the lower number of 

 ventrals in the latter species, as will be shown under that heading. 



Leimadophis stahli. 



Fig. 166.— Leimadophis paevifeons. Haiti. 2 x nat- 

 ural size. Color pattern around the middle of the 

 body. No. 9831, U.S.N.M. 



