702 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1902. 



Dimension*. 



vim. 



. Tip of snout to tip of tail 1, 035 



Vent to tip of tail 360 



Variation. — The scutellation of this species shows very little varia- 

 tion. Of 11 specimens referred to it all have 17 scale rows; nor is it 

 known that the number of labials, temporals, or oculars show any 

 abnormalities in this large series. The ventrals vary between 169 and 

 183 (average 178) and the subcaudals between 112 and 129 pairs. 



The coloration is apparently more variable. A somewhat larger 

 specimen from the same locality as the one described above is colored 

 essentially alike, and with these agree the type specimens from Porto 

 Rico as described by Reinhardt and Luetken. Our single specimen 

 from Desecheo Island (No. 29356), which is somewhat smaller, does not 

 show the characteristic reticulation, there being only some scattered 

 black edges to the lateral scales; the underside is whitish, with no 

 black posterior edge to the ventrals or caudals, but the throat is 

 densely speckled with blackish and there is an interrupted dusky line 

 on each side of the abdomen on the lateral angle; the upper labials are 

 white with numerous blackish spots near the commissure; a heavy 

 black line across the rostral extends on each side of the face on the 

 upper labial suture through the eye, continuing backward on the side 

 of the neck where it gradually disappears as a series of ill-defined 

 spots; there are also traces of a blackish line on the parietal suture 

 with a posterior continuation as a median vertebral line. Mr. Meer- 

 warth indicates a similar, though greatly variable, coloration for the 

 large series of snakes from Mona Island. 



Professor Garman mentions that on young Porto Rican specimens 

 "the dark-bordered scales are distributed in such way as to form 

 irregular transverse bands, more indistinct in larger ones." 



Habitat. — This species was originally described from Porto Rico 

 proper, where it now seems to be comparatively rare, since none of 

 the Fish Hawk parties, including Mr. A. B. Baker, nor Dr. Richmond 

 and myself encountered specimens. The mongoose is probably respon- 

 sible for this state of affairs. 



The status of the snake living on Mona Island, especially with refer- 

 ence to the form occurring in Haiti, remains yet to be investigated. 

 For the present it is left with the Porto Rican species. It must have 

 been veiy numerous on that little islet, since no less than 38 speci- 

 mens have found their way to the museums of Magdeburg and Ham- 

 burg. It is then quite remarkable that Mr. Bowdish, who visited the 

 island in 1901, failed to hear of it there. 



