152 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



Family XI. BOIDiE. 



The belly is provided with a series of large plates. 

 The head may be covered with either small scales or 

 large plates. The eye is well developed, with vertical 

 pupil. Rudimentary pelvis and hind limbs are present, 

 the latter usually showing externally as a small spur on 

 each side of the anus. Both jaws bear teeth. 



Two genera of boas have been found in California. 



SYNOPSIS OF GENERA, 

 a. — Head covered with small scales; tail uot very blunt. 



Lichanura. — p. 152. 

 a'^.— Head with large plates above; tail very blunt. 



Charina. — p. 154. 



Genus 22. LICHANURA. 



Lichamira, Cope, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1861, p. 304. 



The head is slightly distinct from the neck and is 

 covered with small scales. The nostril is between two 

 plates, the anterior of which meets that of the opposite 

 side on the median line. The scales on the body are 

 smooth and nearly as wide as long. The urosteges and 

 preanal plate are undivided. The short tail is tapering, 

 but ends in a rounded plate. 



45. — Lichanura roseofusca Cope. California Boa. 



Lichanura roseofusca, Cope, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1868, p. 2 



(type locality northern Lower California); Stejneger, U. S. 



Nat. Mus., XIV, 1891, p. 514; Cope, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 



XIV, 1891, p. 591. 

 Lichanura myriolepis, Cope, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1868, p. 2 



(type locality northern Iiower California); Stejneger, Proc. 



U. S. Nat. Mus., Xll, 1889, p. 98. 

 Lichanura orcutti, Stejneger, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XII, 1889, p. 



96, fig. I (type locality Colorado Desert, San Diego County, 

 California); Stejneger, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus.. XIV, 1891, p. 

 513-515; Cope, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIV, 1891, p. 592. 



Lichanura simplex, Stejneger, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XII, 1889, p. 



97, fig. 2 (type locality San Diego, Cal.). 



