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70 UULLLTIN ;J), UMTKU STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



There is some vaiiatioii in the .specimens, of tlie pieci,-,e outline of 

 tbe onrve of palatiiu- teetn. Sometimes this is less an-ular anteriorly 

 iiud does not reach lie.voiul the posterior 1 order of the inner nares. 



Ill life this species is of .- dark, livid blackishhrown above, oliva- 

 ceous on the sides, and from lijihl olive to dirty white beneath. On the 

 upper surface, ^uencrally on the side of tiie tail and limbs, are nearly 

 circular yellow spots about the size of the eye, and j^i nerally sharply 

 detined. These aie iiiucii liUe those .)f .1. piinvtatiim, though not (piite 

 so distinct, and althou-li a fi'.int indication of airan}>vmcnt in ten dorsal 

 rows may be traced, yd liiesc are less symmetrically disjiosed, and sin- 

 gle ones "are sc;ittercd lift wi en thcotiicrs alonji' the back. Similar scat- 

 tered spots are seen alon- the belly, wiiich af-ain is bordered, as on the 

 lower part (»f the sides, with larger, more (piadrate si>ots, which are 

 more or less conllnent. giving rise to elongated blotches, overpowerinpf 

 the "iduntl color. This is also sometimes the <'ase on the l)elly and 

 almost always on the chin or lu'iieath the head and neck. 



The rounded spots above souietimes vary considerably in size, and 

 occasionally are almost wanting. Sometimes they are iiKue or le.ss c(Ui- 

 fluent, in which ca.se there is u.>ually a predominance of yellow <»n the 

 bellv. In a large series of specimens I have not observed any vertical 

 yellow bamls on the side of the tail. 



In the young, jrst peifected from the larva, the upper parts are d:irk 

 bidwii; the under jtarts of a miifoim browiiishyellow. The yellow- 

 spots next make their apiiearance, liecoiiiing more and more prominent 

 to a certain age. In very old spcciiueiis the dorsal spots be.ome in- 

 distinct, but may generally be discovered when held under water or 

 alcohol. 



IHiiH'iinioni of H'Ol. 



Idi'Iich. 



Fniiii snout aloii^; jixi.'il liiii' fo fiul of nuiiifli 



J''nuii siioiit III >;iilni- Cold 1 1. 0(» 



I'l'iilll riliolir to^loill t. .'it) 



l-"niiii snout to ciicl of .III us 'I. -U) 



Ftoiii snout to c-nd ol' tail .'^. 00 



Widtli of licad w) 



Foro-anii from <'llio\v >-t) 



Hind Icjc froiu i<!icc 1. It I 



The longest specimen before me nu'asures H) inches (KM).'? liacine). In 

 this the tail from behind anus is tis long as the rest of the animal. Do 

 Kay describes one ot 11 iiu'hes in length. 



MKininoiKiilaofa liijiiiiil xpiciinvii of I lie nir. liyri'iitm (Itil*",'). 



LpiiKtli fi'oin snout to "nd of uioiitii ajcuij; uicdiaii lino 4', 



I.cn^lli from siuiiit to unlai I'old <)(! 



Ii('nf,'lli fi'oin snout to m-oin .{ m 



I, en trill frotn sniuit to ludiind anus H. T'l 



Li'iij^tli from snout to t ip of tail - -,r, 



Liiij^lli of tail '\ r*0 



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