180 SNAKES OF GENUS CHARINA STEJNEGER. 



The specimen with 49 scale rows (N'o. 4497 6) is in many respects a 

 remarkable one, and I have been very much tempted to describe it as 

 a distinct species, for not only is the number of its scale rows excess- 

 ively large, but the relation between rostral and anterior nostrals is 

 entirely unique, inasmuch as the former entirely separates the two 

 latter, being in contact with the prefrontals, thus destroying what has 

 been considered even a good generic character of Gharina. This spec- 

 imen also has the lowest number of urosteges, but taking into account 

 the enormous variability which has been demonstrated above, I think 

 there can be no doubt but that this specimen only represents an ex- 

 treme individual variation. 



Since the above was set in type, five more specimens have come to 

 hand. They are collected by Prof. O. B. Johnson, at Seattle, Wash., 

 and are in many respects very interesting. In the first place, three of 

 them are very large, showing that all the rest of the specimens ex- 

 amined are young ones; in the second place, they bear out the con- 

 clusions based on the previous material as given above, and demonstrat- 

 ing still further the enormous individual variation of the cephatic plates, 

 in one specimen the frontal even being divided longitudinally. On the 

 other hand, they establish more firmly 43 scale rows as the minimum of 

 Ch. plumhea. They have been included in the table given below. 



Quite recently Professor Cope, in these Proceedings (Vol. xi, 1888, p. 

 88, pi. xxxvi, fig. 2), has described Ch. hrachyops as a new species with 

 the following diagnosis: " Prenasal separated from internasal; post- 

 nasal joining i)reocular, no loreal; prefrontal entering orbit; one super- 

 ciliary ; superior labials 8 to 9." 



As to the labials, 9 seems to be the usual number ; sometimes as 

 many as 11 are found, and exceptionally only 8, so that the character 

 derived from them is not diagnostic. Neither is the first character as- 

 signed to the new species peculiar to it, for we have seen that it is one 

 of the features ascribed to the type of Ch. hottw, and it is also found in 

 our No. 12581. One superciliary is the commonest number in Ch. 

 plumbea, and is also found in Ch. hottw. Even the absenceof a loreal is not 

 very unusual in Ch. plumhea, in the type specimen of which it is wanting 

 on both sides, while in the type of Ch. Isabella it is only absent on one 

 side, but in those cases which have come under my observation the 

 loreal has disappeared by being fused with one of the prefrontals, which 

 are thus interposed between the posterior nasal and the anteorbital, 

 while in the type of Ch. hrachyops the loreal seems to be absorbed by the 

 anteorbital, thus bringing the latter into direct contact with the pos- 

 terior nasal. The last diagnostic mark of the new species is " pre- 

 frontal entering orbit." There is no approach to this character in any 

 other of the Charinae before me, though it is doubtful if it is of more 

 value than the " labials entering the orbit " in difiereutiating Ch. hottw 

 or isahella. In addition to these characters the muzzle seems rather 

 depressed as well as narrow, and the eye seems to be somewhat larger 

 than in Ch. plumhea., but too great stress can not be laid on these charac- 



