NO. 1171. 



HAWAIIAN LAND liEPTILES—STKJNEiiER. 



813 



Variation. — There is considerable variation iu the sliape and dis- 

 position of the head shields of this spe<;ies. Alhision has aheady been 

 made (p. 811) to the distinct separation of a sni)ranasal and postnasal 

 in the specimen received from Mr. Knudsen, from Kauai (No, 23507, 

 ir.S.N.M.). This specimen shows another marked anomaly, inasmuch 

 as the second loreal is in contact behind with two pieoculars, the upper 

 one being- divided horizontally. The relations between the frontonasal, 

 prefrontals, and frontal are also subje(;t to some variation, though 

 all the Hawaiian specimens before me agree iu having the i)refrontals 

 broadly in contact behind the frontonasal, thus separating this shield 

 widely Irom the frontal, excejit in the specimen above described, in 

 which they are separated by a small median unpaired shield which 

 barely touches the frontonasal with its anterior angle, being in fact only 

 the detached anterior jjortiou of the frontal. 



The ground color varies greatly, it being (piile pale bronze green in 

 some specimens. The specimens from Molokai are considerably darker 

 above and decidedly bluish below, but this difference is probably due 

 to the different preserving lluid. 



The rei)roduced tail is dull tlesh color freckled with brown. 



List of HiwcimenH of Ablephartin houtonii jx/utilopleurua. 



