SNAKES. 127 



Snakes, once figured, and so well known in all the Collections of 

 Europe; we have not even a good figure to recompense us for 

 such a mistake. 



Scales slightly keeled, in seventeen or nineteen rows; each 

 scale black, marked in the centre with a blue (in spirits bluish- 

 white or yellow) spot. 



a. Adult : large specimen. Honduras. 



b. Adult. Honduras. 



c. Many specimens. Mexico. From Mr. Warwick's Collection. 



d. Many specimens. Mexico. From Hugo Finck's Collection. 



e. Adult. Mexico. From M. Salle's Collection. 

 /. Half-grown : greatly injured. Mexico. 



g. Half-grown. Central America. From Mr. Gould's Collection. 



h. Half-grown. Caraccas. 



'. Half-grown. Mexico. From M. Salle's Collection. 



2. Dromicus ater. 



Black Snake, Natrix atra, Gosse, A Naturalist's Sojourn in 

 Jamaica, p. 228. Grey Snake, Natrix capistrata, Gosse, I c. 

 p. 371. 



We have not the least doubt that Dume'ril's Dromicus leuco- 

 melas should be introduced into the synonymy, although he de- 

 scribes the loreal shield as " une peu plus longue que haute," the 

 absence of which is so characteristic of the species. Some parts 

 of the seventh volume of the Erpetologie generate are so crowded 

 with such mistakes, as to render the use of those portions of it 

 only a loss of time. 



Loreal shield none. Uniform black or brownish black, or 

 greyish brown or grey ; sometimes with distant, large, distinct 

 square spots. 



Var. A. Uniform black. 



a. Adult. West Indies. 



b. Adult. West Indies. 



c. Adult. West Indies. From the Zoological Society's Collection. 



d. Adult : injured. Jamaica. Presented by R. Heward, Esq. 



e. Half-grown. Jamaica ; Bluefields. From Mr. Gosse's Col- 



lection. The type of his description. 



f. Half-grown. Jamaica. 



(j. Adult : not good state. Jamaica. Presented by the Zoo- 

 logical Society. 



h. Adult : very bad state. Jamaica. From the Haslar Collection. 



i. Adult: discoloured. Jamaica. Old Collection. 



j. Half-grown : bad state. Jamaica. 



