216 ~ ZOOLOGY. 
upon its upper margin, and very concave below. The postnasal is slightly larger than the pre- 
nasal. The loral is elongated and subtrapezoid. There is but one anteorbital, very narrow 
upon its lower portion, quite broad across the superciliary line, and extending to the upper 
surface of the head under the shape of a small triangle, the summit of which being contiguous 
to the lateral anterior edge of the vertical, thus preventing a contact between the postfrontals 
and the superciliaries. The latter are well developed, narrowest anteriorly. There are two 
postorbitals, the uppermost being twice the size of the lower. Two temporal shields only can 
be distinguished by their form from the occipital scales. The upper labials are eight in number, 
the fourth and fifth forming the inferior rim of the orbit; the fifth, sixth, and seventh are the 
largest; the fourth is a little larger than the eighth, the anterior three being the smallest. 
There are ten inferior labials, and a symphyseal, quite small and triangular. The first extends 
to the anterior pair of mental shields; the second and third are the smallest of the three; the 
fourth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth are nearly equal; the sixth is the largest, and the 
fifth somewhat smaller than the sixth. The posterior pair of mental shields is more slender 
than the anterior pair, but nearly of the same length. The abdominal scutelle are a hundred 
and ninety-five in number; the posterior is bifid. There are about a hundred and ten subcaudal 
scutelle, all of which are subdivided. The scales are elongated and posteriorly subacute, 
smooth and disposed upon nineteen longitudinal series, the two outermost of which being the 
largest; the others diminishing slightly towards the dorsal region. 
Abd. sc. 19441. Sube. se. 110. Dors. rows 19. Total length, 12 inches; tail, 3 inches and ,3,. 
The ground-color of the sides of the body is light brown, minutely dotted with black. On 
the back there is a band of deep chestnut-brown margined with black, covering three longitu- 
dinal rows of scales. The two adjoining rows are partly (internally) brown and partly (exter- 
nally) black. Along the neck and anterior fourth of the body each scale of the external series, 
covered by the dark dorsal band, has a white spot upon its middle, thus interrupting the black 
border. Towards the posterior part of the body the dorsal brown band covers but three series 
of scales, the internal margin of the adjoining series being black. Along the tail, where that 
band may be traced tapering towards its top, the black margin has immerged into the brown. 
The inferior surface of the body is uniform greenish or yellowish grey. The upper surface of 
the head is dark brown. <A yellowish white filet or stripe extends from the rostral plate, along 
the superciliary ridge, to the posterior extremity of the superciliary plates. A subelliptical spot 
of the same hue, but margined with black, may be seen on the upper part of the upper post- 
orbital plate, interrupting the vitta just alluded to, and which can be traced along the external 
edge of the occipital plate, more conspicuous, and margined with black. The vitta extends 
along the neck, and eventually immerges into the dorsal band. The sides of the head are brown, 
and of a deeper hue than the sides of the body ; the upper labial plates being also yellowish- 
white. A vitta of that same hue may be traced‘from near the top of the jaw along the neck. 
The inferior labials, the mental shields, and the subgular scales, exhibit each a central light 
spot margined with black. Two light vittee may be followed, one on the two external rows of 
scales, another along the edge of the abdominal scutelle, from beneath the throat to a consid- 
erable length backwards. The hue of the sides of the head likewise tapers along the sides of 
the neck for about the same distance. 
Specimens of this species were obtained from the vicinity of Santiago, Chile. 
Plate XX XVII, fig. 7, represents Taeniophis tantillus, size of life. 
fig. 8, is the head, seen from above. 
fig. 9, aside view of the head. 
fig. 10, the head, seen from below. 
fig. 11, exhibits the vent and post-abdominal scutella. 
fig. 12, a portion of the left side of the body, showing the shape of the 
scales, their relative size, and disposition in series. 
