MEXICAN HERPETOLOGICAL MISCELLANY—SMITH BY) 
A similar, fine light line extends along the middle of each of the 
seven median dorsal scale rows, but does not extend onto head; the 
remainder of the back, between the light lines, is dark brown. The 
ventral surfaces are bluish, and the tail is bright blue (in life). The 
two specimens from near Jalapa, and the one from Totontepec, 
Oaxaca, form the basis of this description; they do not differ in 
pattern in any respect. ‘The largest measures 45.2 mm. snout to vent. 
The three adults or subadults (smallest 65 mm. snout to vent) retain 
the broad, dark lateral stripes as in the young, but the lght lines 
on the dorsal surface increase in width at the expense of the interven- 
ing black, until the whole dorsal surface is hight, with longitudinal 
streaks of black on the edges of the scale rows. In the smallest adult 
the black lines are continuous, but very narrow; in a larger adult 
(87.5 mm.) the black lines are broken and appear as rows of elongate 
spots on the edges of the scale rows; the other adult (89 mm.) is de- 
scribed by Cope: “Sides of head and body with limbs, black; 
* * * Dorsal region for a width of seven and two half rows of 
scales olive brown, the edges of each row blackish and forming nar- 
row, imperfect lines * * * (this specimen, the type of chalybaeus, 
has now lost all markings) .” 
All specimens have rather short snouts; posterior edge of first labial 
even with middle of naris; supralabials to posterior edge of subocular 
7-7 in 4, 7-8 in 1 (U.S.N.M. No. 113525), 8-8 in 1 (U.S.N.M. No. 
113524) ; supralabials to below middle of eye 1 less than to posterior 
edge of subocular; 2 superimposed postnasals, except in 2 (U.S.N.M. 
Nos. 6608, 113525), in which the lower is fused with the first loreal; 
an anterior loreal following postnasals in all; median loreal very vari- 
able, small or fused with adjacent scales (distinct in 1; fused with lat- 
eral prefrontals in 2; fused with anterior loreal in 1; and in 2, fused 
with lateral prefrontal on one side, with anterior loreal on other) ; 
distance between anterior and posterior loreals considerably less than 
length of either; 2 superimposed posterior loreals on one side in 1, on 
both sides in another, 1 posterior loreal in the remainder; 1 preocular, 
separated from labials on one side in 1, on both sides in another; sub- 
oculars 1-1 in 1, 2-2 in 3, 2-8 in 1, indeterminate in 1; postoculars 3-4 
in 1, 44 in 2, 4-5 in 1, 5-5 in 1; supraoculars 5-5 in all; outer supra- 
oculars 3-3 in all; superciliaries 6-6 in 1, 7—7 in 3, 8-8 in 1, indeterminate 
in another; frontal anteriorly in contact with a single, azygous pre- 
frontal, a little less than twice as long as broad; prefrontal in contact 
only with anterior supraocular; 3 frontoparietals on each side (an 
extra 1 split off frontal on one side in 1) ; interparietal a little smaller 
than either parietal, subequal to or a little larger than occipital; a 
small scale split from interparietal in 1 separates it from frontal; 
