25 



Genus CELUTA, Baird & Girard. 



Gen. Char. Head elongated, subelliptical, continuous witli the body. 

 Cephalic plates normal : vertical broad. Superciliaries very small. One 

 nasal : nostril in the middle. No anteorbital. Orbit formed chiefly by 

 the loral, which is large, and slightly by the postf rentals. Scales smooth. 

 Postabdominal scutellse bifid : subcaudals divided. Unicolor. 



Differs from Brachyorrhos in having two pairs of frontals, and smooth scales. 



Syn. Celuta, B. & G. 1. c. 1853, 129 



15. Celuta ajkena, B. 4' G- — Wormsnake. 



Spec. Char. Above uniform chestnut -brown, opalescent; light yellow (bright 

 salmon-color in life) beneath. Dorsal scales in 13 rows. 128+1, 80, 13, 11|, 

 If (Penn.). 



STNONTMS. 



Coluber ammnus, Sat, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. IV. 1826, 237. — Hael. 

 Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. V. 1827, 355 j and Med. & Phys. Res. 1835, 118. 



— Stoker, Rep. Rept. Mass. 1839, 226. 



Calamaria amana, Schl. Ess. Phys. Serp. Part, descr. 1837, 31, pi. i. f. 19 h 20. 



— Dekat, N.Y. Fauna, III. 1842, 49. 



Brachyorrhos amanus, Holbr. N. Amer. Herp. III. 1842, 115, pi. xxvii. 

 Celuta amcena, B. & G. 1. c. 1853, 129. 



This curious species resembles in general shape and exterior a large earth- 

 worm, more than any other of our serpents. The glistening exterior, the blunt 

 tail, the head smaller than the body, and the reddish color, all tend to heigh- 

 ten the similarity. It is found under dry logs and stones, particularly in 

 mountainous regions, rarely being seen abroad. It is sparingly distributed 

 throughout the United States east of tlie Missouri. 



