99. CONTTA. 267 
snout, shorter than the parietals; loreal very small, longer than 
deep; one pre- and two postoculars; temporals 1+2; seven upper 
labials, third and fourth entering the eye; four lower labials in 
contact with the anterior chin- shields ; posterior chin-shields very 
small and separated from each other. ‘Seales in 15 rows. Ventrals 
147-158 (172?); anal divided; subcaudals 34-44. Yellowish 
above, reddish in the middle, with black transverse bands forming 
complete annuli round the tail; white inferiorly. 
Total length 285 millim. ; tail 56. 
Arizona and Texas. 
17. Contia pachyura. 
Contia pachyura, Cope, Journ. Ac. Philad. viii. 1876, p. 145. 
Frontal rather elongate, but shorter than the parietals ; loreal 
large, deeper than long ; one pre- and two postoculars ; temporals 
1+1; eight upper labials, fourth and fifth entering the eye; chin- 
shields equal, rather elongate. Scales in 17 rows, Ventrals 133; 
subeaudals 50. Black, the lower lateral rows of scales with a 
rufous shade; scales of the first row with grey tips; head blackish 
brown, with a black line from eye above labials; latter yellowish, 
unspotted ; belly yellowish, each shield with a black extremity. 
Total length 335 millim. 
Sipurio, Costa Rica. 
18. Contia mitis. 
Contia mitis, Baird § Gur. Cat. N. Am. Rept. p. 110 (1853); Girard, 
U.S. Explor. Exped., Herp. p. 125, pl. x. figs. 6-12 (1858), and 
Rep. US. Explor. R. R.x. pt. ili. pl. xxxvi. ‘fig. 7 (1859) ; Cope, 
Proc. Ac. Philad. 1861, p. 74; Garm. N. Am. Rept. p. 93 (1883) ; 
Bocourt, Miss. Sc. Mex., Rept. p. 557, pl. xxxiv. fig. 3 (1883). 
Ablabes purpureocauda, Giinth. Cat. p. 245 (1858). 
Homalosoma mite, Jan, Arch. Zool. Anat. Phys. ii. 1862, p. 85, and 
Icon. Gén. 13, pl. iv. fig. 1 (1865). 
Rostral broader than deep, just visible from above; nasal divided 
or semidivided ; suture between the internasals as long as or shorter 
than that between the prefrontals; frontal not once and a half 
as long as broad, longer than its distance from the end of the - 
snout, shorter than the parietals ; loreal small, longer than deep ; 
one pre- and two postoculars; temporals 1+2; seven upper 
labials, third and fourth entering the eye; four lower labials in 
contact with the anterior chin-shields ; posterior chin-shields very 
small and in contact with each other. Scales in 15 rows. Ventrals 
147-167; anal divided; subcaudals 29-39. Brown above, sides 
darker; a yellowish line along each side of the back; a blackish 
streak on each side of the head, passing through the eye, anda 
black spot on the rostral; ventrals whitish, with a broad black 
anterior border. 
Total length 310 millim.; tail 40. 
California. 
A 
