364 Dr. A. Gunther on 



The latter only might be kept distinct on account of its sin- 

 gular coloration; structurally it does not differ from the 

 others. 



Mabuia agilis (Radde) . 



Mabuia agilis, Boul. Liz. iii. p. IW ; Giinth. Biol. C.-Anjer., Rept. 



p. 33. 

 Mabuia dominicana, Garman, Bull. Ess. Inst. xix. 1887, p. 52. 



Eight adult specimens from Laudat and Laion. 

 Other well-authenticated localities are : — Mexico, Yucatan, 

 Guatemala, Vera Paz, Salvador, Panama, Veragua, Vene- 

 zuela, Ecuador, British Guiana, Rio Janeiro, Martinique, 

 Island of Grenada. 



Mr. Garman describes specimens from Dominica as a dis- 

 tinct species, said to be distinguished from M. agilis by 

 having the supranasals separate from each other, and 

 possessing from 68 to 72 scales in a series between the chin 

 and vent. His M. agilis is stated to have the supranasals in 

 contact with each other and only 54 or 56 scales between 

 chin and vent. 



The eight adult specimens from Dominica before me vary 

 in both these respects ; some have the supranasals in contact, 

 others not. Between chin and vent there are 60 scales in 

 two, 62 in one, 63 in two, and 64, 65, and 67 severally in single 

 specimens. Therefore the characters on which Mr. Garman 

 based his distinction are in these specimens so obviously 

 variable that no herpetologist will place any reliance upon 

 them. 



But to prove the variability of these characters in this 

 species beyond further dispute I took from a gravid female 

 six embryos, all fully developed and about half the length of 

 the mother. The mother had the supranasals in contact with 

 each other and 62 scales between chin and vent. Of her 

 progeny two had the supranasals as in the mother, in three 

 they were separate from each other, whilst one might be 

 assigned to either category. The scales on the abdomen are 

 in 57 rows in two of these embryos and in 61, 62, 65, and 

 66 rows severally in their brothers. 



Specific distinctions in these days are held to be, and often 

 may be, matter of individual opinion, and, as a rule, I ab- 

 stain from entering into any discussion about them ; but they 

 sometimes have a direct bearing upon wider and more im- 

 portant questions. In this case any one studying the distri- 

 bution of reptiles over the West Indies would, by relying 

 upon statements such as are propounded by Mr. Garman in his 



