CBOTALUS LUCIFER. 187 



the flanks is uniform black ; from the middle of the flanks downwards, 

 the general hue is uniform yellow. The tail is straw-colored, spotted 

 with black. A series of these spots, saddle-like, may be traced all 

 along the upper edge of that organ, and a similar series also along the 

 inferior edge, whilst the middle region exhibits several rounded ones, 

 constitutiug another series. 



Loc. A specimen of this species was collected at Pomotu, or Society 

 Islands. 



GENUS CROTALUS, LINN. 



GEN. CHAR. Upper surface of the head covered with small, scale-like 

 plates, the anterior ones largest. Temporal shields and labial plates 

 small and convex. A deep pit between the eye and the nostril. 

 Dorsal scales keeled. Preanal and subcaudal scutellae entire. Tail 

 terminated by a well-developed rattle. 



SYN. Crotalus, LINN. Syst. Nat.-I, 1766, 370. GRAY, Catal. Snakes Brit. Mas. 

 1849, 19. B. & G. Catal. N. Amer. Bept. I, 1853, i. BUM. & BIBR. Erpet. gdn. VII, 

 H, 1854, 1453. 



OBSERV. The rattlesnakes, it is well known, are provided with one, 

 two, or more hollow fangs on either side of the roof of the mouth, and 

 in communication with a poison-bag lodged within the thickness of the 

 bone itself. 



CROTALUS LUCIFER, B. & G. 

 (Plate XV, figs. 1-6.) 



CHAR. SPEC. Squamis dorsualibus in quinque et viginti series longitu- 

 dinales dispositis ; extrema laevi, secunda et tertia obsolete carinatis. 

 Cauda et posteriore corporis parte sexdecim vel septendecim n'ujris 

 semi-annulis fasciatis. Series sexangularum vel octangularum fus- 

 carum macularum, angustd et pallidd lined circumdatarum, in dorso 

 est sita. Fasciola dam ex supraoculari scuto transit per oris angu- 

 lum, insuper tertiam et quartam squamarum svpralabialium seriem. 



