324 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES [Proc. 4th Ser. 



Introduction 



In reporting upon the snakes secured by the Academy 

 through its expedition of 1905 and 1906, I wish first of all 

 to express my appreciation of the energy and care of my 

 assistant, Mr. Joseph R. Slevin, upon whom, as chief herpet- 

 ologist of the expedition, rested the responsibility of gathering 

 and preserving the collection which has made this paper pos- 

 sible. I am indebted to him also for the counting of many 

 scales. To Mr. E. S. King, and to other members of the 

 expedition who aided in the collection of reptiles, my thanks 

 are due. Professor Charles H. Gilbert, as so often in the past, 

 has aided me by kindly permitting me to make use of speci- 

 mens in the collection of Stanford University. From Dr. 

 George A, Boulenger I have received, regarding certain speci- 

 mens in the British Museum, information which has been 

 most useful. 



All measurements are given in millimeters. The numbers 

 by which specimens are designated are the serial numbers of 

 the reptile collection of the Academy, except such as are pre- 

 ceded by the letter S. These latter are the numbers attached 

 to specimens in the collection of Stanford University, and 

 refer to the register of its reptile collection. 



The sea snake Hydrits platurus is here first recorded from 

 the Galapagos. The following snakes are described as new : 



Dromicus hoodensis 

 Dromicus slevini 

 Dromicus steindachneri 

 Dromicus occidentalis 

 Dromicus occidentalis helleri 



Previous Collections and Studies 



It is probable that the presence of snakes in the Galapagos 

 Archipelago was first recorded by Dampier, who, in his Voy- 

 ages, mentions green serpents seen there in 1684. Delano, 

 Porter, and Darwin refer to them briefly in their Narrative 

 and Journals. 



Darwin, I believe, was the first to carry back to Europe a 

 specimen of this snake. It was caught on Charles Island, and 



