176 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA. 
with a zone of dark specks below it. These fleckings grow fewer and the ground- 
colour becomes lighter ventrally until the colour of the lower sides merges into 
the yellowish cream-colour of the belly. 
This species like its congeners probably varies very little in squamation. 
An adult example (M. C. Z. 7,426) from eastern Cuba, Charles Wright collector, 
is exactly like the specimen described, except that on one side three chin-shields 
are in contact with three infralabials. Although this is an old specimen it is 
very well preserved and shows an entirely different colouration. The back and 
side are rich walnut-brown; the back is heavily spotted and flecked with darker; 
the dark side-line is present but not very conspicuous, the sides also are heavily 
spotted and washed with brown, the belly is yellowish. 
Neither of these specimens is perfect. Boulenger gives the following 
measurements: — total length 201 mm., tail 114mm. M. C. Z. 7,426 measures 
90 mm. from snout to vent, while the tail with a considerable portion of the tip 
missing measures 120 mm.; thus it would appear that Boulenger’s measurements, 
which are not original, as there was no specimen in the British Museum, were 
probably taken from a specimen with the distal portion of the tail repro- 
duced. In this genus the reproduced tails are sometimes grown with squama- 
tion so much like the rather generalized type seen on the original member that 
it is difficult to recognize the reproduced part. This is never the case with forms 
in which the tail scutellation is ornamented. Under such circumstances the 
new growth shows a scutation of a much simpler type — whether ancestral or not 
is impossible tosay. Recently we have examined a perfect specimen (Ramsden 
collection) from Los Hondones, Guantanamo, in which the body from snout to 
vent measured 85 mm. and the tail 115 mm. 
Little or nothing is known of the habits of any of the Antillean Celesti. 
They are nowhere common and are only found by the collector by the merest 
chance under stones or hidden in similar situations. Hitherto nothing has been 
recorded regarding their breeding habits. In June, 1914, however, the junior 
author found a male Celustus under a stone near Belona, not far from Guanta- 
namo, Cuba. He was lying over five eggs and when disturbed made no effort 
to escape, simply hiding his head as if for protection. This makes it appear 
probable that the male may remain on guard near the eggs until they are hatched. 
The eggs which have a very soft shell measure 9 xX 17 mm. As in Jamaica 
where Celesti are called “‘Galliwasps,”’ and considered very deadly, so also the 
Cuban species is feared but to a far less extent. In Jamaica there are several 
species, making the members of the genus more common, hence more widely 
