SCHMIDT, THE HERPETOLOGY OF PORTO RICO 199 



Alsophis Fitzinger 

 Alsophis antillensis (Schlegel) 

 Alsophis anegadw Barbour, 1917, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., XXX, p. 102. 



Two specimens were collected at Coamo Springs. This species has not 

 hitherto been recorded from Porto Eico, although there is an older, ques- 

 tionable record from Haiti. Its presence in Porto Eico, together with 

 that of Eleutherodactyhis antillensis, diminishes the difference between 

 the Porto Eican fauna and that of the Virgin Islands. 



The identification of these two specimens with this species removes the 

 element of geographical distinctness from the allied A. portoricensis. 

 The male specimen has only seventeen scale rows, and so might be iden- 

 tified with A. portoricensis, were it not that the coloration of both is 

 nearly typical of A. antillensis, while the female has nineteen scale rows 

 at mid-body. In view of the higher number of ventral plates and the 

 distinct coloration, I prefer to retain portoricensis and antillensis as 

 distinct species. 



These specimens agree closely in coloration with the color variety de- 

 scribed by Barbour from Anegada, and as I do not wish to admit of a 

 discontinuous distribution of A. anegada', it seems best to include both 

 Porto Eioan and Anegadan specimens with-. I. antillensis. 



The measurements and scale characters are as follows : 



a. M. x. H. 



No. 13305 £ No. 13306 9 



Length 707 mm. 820 mm. 



Tail 245 " 270 " 



Tail length .35 " .33 M 



Ventral plates 184 " 185 " 



Subcaudals 134 " 132 " 



Dorsal scales 17-17-15 " 17-19-15 " 



Alsophis portoricensis Eeinhardt and Luetken 



Four specimens of this species were collected, at Adjuntas and on Mona 

 Island. This species is confined to Porto Eico and Mona Island, its 

 nearest relatives being A. melanichnus in Hispaniola and A. antillensis 

 in Porto Eico and the Virgin Islands. 



The two specimens from Adjuntas are perfectly typical in coloration, 

 the dorsal scales and ventral plates being heavily bordered with black. 

 In the two Mona Island specimens the black is arranged as irregular 

 transverse markings, not confined to the borders of the scales. There 

 does not seem to be any scale character distinguishing them from typical 



