200 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



( )n many of the dorsal scales the apices of the striae are l)lack 

 and shining-. The effect produced, if examined closely, is that of 

 a hlack snake, coated with hlue-£jray dust and lig-htlv rubbed here 

 and there, thus removing;- the covering- from the raised keels of 

 the scales. The skin between the scales is of the same gra\- tint 

 as the latter. 'Jdie possibility of albinism in this specimen has 

 been fully considered, and is believed to have no bearini^ upon the 

 case. 



Diiiiciisioiis. — That this si)ecimen re])resents a small species is 

 indicated by the uniform character of the joints of the rattle — five 

 in number — as com])ared to the size of the snake. The measure- 

 ments of the type specimen are as follows : 



Total length, 27J4 inches. 



Length of tail (not including rattle), 2% inches. 



Diameter thickest part of body, i Vs inches. 



Width of head, 1 inch. 



Length of head, j^}^, inches. 



AN UNUSUAL VARIATION OF CROTALUS 

 LUCIFER. 



By RAYMOND L. DJTMARS, 



CURATOR OF REPTILES. 



AjMONG a series of living snakes deposited in the Park l)y 

 the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, through Mr. 

 George Englehardt, is a peculiar specimen of Crota/us lucifcr, 

 from Beaver County, Utah. 



The pattern of this snake is so unusual it seems worth v of j^ar- 

 ticular notice, together with an illustration of the s])ecimen, as 

 an example of interesting variation. 'Jdie author refrains from 

 proposing a varietal name until a series of specimens can ])e ])ro- 

 cured which will demonstrate the constancv of a subs])ecies. i)ro- 

 vided it actually exists. 



Description. — Cieneral gromid color i)ale, greenisli-gra\ . In 

 place of the dark, subquadrate l)lotches, narrowly bordered with 

 black, as they exist on typical specimens, there are solid, sootv- 

 black patches, in some of which the tips of a few scales are tinged 

 with the groimd color. Posteriorly, these markings assume a 

 vividly ringed ajjpearance. Each of ilu' lateral blotches are rep- 

 resented by single scales tingerl with black. The dark band from 

 the orbit to the angle of mouth is almost obsolete, and lacks the 



