626 11. LEPTOTYPHLOPIDJE 



Ser. 4, Vol. XI, 1921, p. 52; Nelson, Mem. Nat. Acad. Sci., Vol. 

 XVI, 1921, pp. 114, 115. 

 Leptotyphlops humilis Ruthven, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., Vol. XXIII, 

 1907, p. 573; Grinnell & Camp, Univ. Cal. Publ. Zool., Vol. 17, 

 No. 10, 1917, p. 176; Stephens, Trans. San Diego Soc. Nat. Hist., 

 Vol. Ill, No. 4, 1921, p. 63. 



Description. — Body long and slender, with short, blunt 

 tail bearing a small spine at its tip. Head small, continuous 

 with neck, slightly depressed, with prominent, rounded 

 snout. Rostral plate strongly recurved on top of snout, and 

 continued back on lower surface of head to mouth. A large 

 nasal plate bordering lip, divided behind, and sometimes in 

 front of, nasal opening. Ocular plate reaching margin of 

 lip between two labials. Two large plates, parietal and 

 occipital, behind ocular. No supraocular plate. Nasal, 

 ocular, parietal and occipital plates separated from corres- 

 ponding plates on opposite side of head by single series of 

 small, rounded, imbricate scales. Scales on chin smallest. 

 Fourteen rows very strongly imbricate scales around middle 

 of body J middle ventral series often slightly enlarged. 

 Preanal plate single. Caudal scales similar to those on body. 



The entire upper surface, five to seven longitudinal rows 

 of scales, is brown, sometimes slightly grayish at the edges 

 of the scales. The lower parts are creamy white, rarely 

 clouded with gray. 



Length to anus 91 



Length of tail 4 



Width of head 2 



Width .It middle of body 2 



Distribution. — In California, this little snake has been 

 found at Fort Yuma, Imperial County j Vallecito at about 

 1600 feet, and near Banner on the east slope of the Cuya- 

 maca Mountains at about 3000 feet altitude, and near 

 Ladrillo Station near Pacific Beach, San Diego County; 



