22,5 Taylor: Herpetological Fauna, III 547 



Hurria microlepis (Boulenger). 



Cerberus microlepis Boulenger, Cat. Snakes. Brit. Mus. 3 (1896) 



18, pi. 2, fig. 2. 

 Hurria microlepis Taylor, Snakes of the Philippine Islands (1922) 

 114, pi. 6, figs. 1-3. 



I have been able to examine a series of specimens belonging 

 to this species collected in or near Lake Buhi, Ambos Cama- 

 rines Province, southern Luzon. The specimens agree fairly 

 well with Boulenger's description and figure. There is, however, 

 considerable variation evident in the four specimens from the 

 same immediate locality. The scale rows vary from 27 to 33. 

 In two specimens the prefrontals touch the nasals, in two they 

 do not. Ventrals vary between 163 and 168, and subcaudals 

 between 60 and 67. 



The most important character, it seems to me, and one which 

 is not mentioned in the type description, is the character of the 

 scales. Each scale has numerous small pits or rugose spots; 

 the scales of the head and neck are thickly covered with these, 

 while the costal scales have them arranged around the outer 

 posterior borders. A small low keel is evident on all but the 

 two or three outer costal scale rows. 



The ventral scales have two or three very irregular rows of 

 pustules, or pits, crossing their middle transversely. In colora- 

 tion there is much variation. The ground color varies between 

 gray and brown, with numerous irregularly placed black spots; 

 there is a dark streak along the canthi, passing through the 

 eye to the angle of the jaw or continuing some distance on the 

 neck; three black stripes that begin in the occipital region 

 continue some distance on the neck. These neck markings 

 may be very distinct or almost wanting; the outer three costal 

 scale rows are cream colored without markings, or heavily 

 spotted. The belly is marked by a narrow or a broad irregular 

 longitudinal stripe, or spotted and mottled Regularly. 



In my work on Philippine snakes- I mention the head of 

 a specimen supposed to be of this species, from Camigum Ba- 

 buyan Islands. I have compared it with these specime of 

 Hurria microlepis and am convinced that it does not belong 

 to that species. 



"Snakes of the Philippine Islands (1922) 114. 



