I 



THK nATKACIlIA OF NOltni AMERICA. 



141 



The piilatiiie t«>i'tli iorin ii sciies on each side in the shape of a short 

 an!, tlio convexity anterointer'ov Tiiesc do not meet internally, but 

 are Heparatedby a short interval, as they are Ironi the two plates of 

 l)arasphenoidal teeth, beginninj-' a short distance behind them and ex- 

 tendin};- backwards, meeting along the median line. The inner nostrils 

 are rather small, i>laced anterior and interior to the commencement of 

 the palatine teeth. IJesidesthe broad, shallow, shortehannel proceeding 

 from the outer end of these nostrils past the exterinil extremity of the 

 palatine teeth, there is a deeper and very narrow one i>assing along the 

 upper edge of the broad channel and along the nuirgin of the ui)per 

 jaw to its posterior extremity. 



6 7 



Fir,. 'M. I'll tliinlon ;tUit!iii>imii. No. 378'.'. Alilmvillc, S. C; ',. 



This species in alcohol is of a livid bluish black. The upper parts 

 and sides are nuukcd with well-detiued specks of a grayish-silvery 

 color, looking like torn i)ie(!es of foil. These vary with the specimen, 

 but are generally more numerous and larger along the sides. The 

 under parts are sometimes tinely dotted with whitish, but this isusually 

 the effect of the whitish glands seen through the integument. The 

 under i»art of the tail is of a pale bluish-gray. The light spot on the 

 chin, showing the attachment of the tongue, has already been referred 

 to. The soles of the feet are also whitish. 



The back is sometimes destitute of spots, or they are very minute 

 and these when present are often duller than those on the sides. There 

 is occ^asioiialiy a yellowish tinge in the lateral spots- A few sjiots of 

 the same kind are sometimes found under the chin. 



Young si»ecimens are marked like the adult, except in being whitish 

 beneath, and in freciuently having the white spots more i)uuctifornx 

 and s(!attered. 



A number of young of eighteen lines in length from caves in Mont- 

 gomery County, Va., have ii series of small bright red spots on 

 each side; some others from the same locality do not exhibit them. 

 The variation is thus remotely similar to that in IhsmoifHathus/KNca. 



I have not been able to discover any permanent dilference between 

 the southern specimens of this species and the northern. I have 

 thought tliere was a greater tendency to expansion of the light spots ou 

 the side, so as even to form a continuous band, and to a reduction in 

 size or disapi)earance of those on the back. I have, however, Ibuud 



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