Reptiles and Frogs from Dominica. 365 



recent publications on West-Indian reptiles, be misled into the 

 viewof a more complete isolation and specialization of the faunas 

 of the various islands than obtains in reality. He states in fact 

 in this instance that the widely distributed Mahuia agilis has 

 been sufficiently differentiated in Dominica to form a distinct 

 species or whatever it may be called, whilst the examination 

 of even a small number of examples disproves this statement. 

 Distinctive characters, no matter how trivial they appear to 

 be, become important enough to the systematic zoologist if 

 they be found constant in a number of specimens and corre- 

 lated to some other point of the life of an animal ; but unless 

 this has been ascertained to be the fact, their indiscriminate 

 use impedes rather than advances zoology. 



Liophis julice. 



AcropMsjuli(B, Cope, Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. xviii. 1879, p. 274. 

 Br omicus Julia, Garman, ibid. xxiv. 1887, p. 281. 



Eight specimens from Laudat and Laion. 



This snake might be taken for one of the numerous varia- 

 tions of L. cobelh or L. Merremii, but differs in having a 

 larger eye and in its peculiar coloration, which is constant in 

 all the specimens collected by Mr. Ramage. 



In its physiognomy it reminds us much of some of the 

 smaller species of Dromicus ; but the subquadrangular black 

 spots of the abdomen are very characteristic of snakes of the 

 genus Liophis. 



Habit moderately slender; head a little wider than the 

 neck ; orbit rather large, as wide as its distance from the nos- 

 tril. Scales in seventeen rows, without apical groove. Ven- 

 tral shields 159-168 ; anal divided ; subcaudals 64-86 *. 



Eight upper labials, the fourth and fifth entering the orbit. 

 The single pr^orbital reaching to the upper surface of the 

 head, but not extending to the vertical ; two postoculars. 

 Loreal square ; temporals 1-1-2. Six of the lower labials 

 are in contact with the chin-shields. Ground-colour slaty 

 black, nearly every scale has a large bluish-white spot at the 

 base. These spots are, however, irregular in size and also in 



SC. 85. 



SC. 84. 



SC. 76. 



SC. 81. 



SC. 64. 



SC. 86. 



SC. 81 (end broken off). 



SC. 81. 



