NATEIX ■ 85 



labials whitish, the light color extending upward on the pre- 

 ocular and the lower postoculars, the vertical edges of the labials 

 heavily margined with black as are also the preocular in front 

 and the postoculars behind, the vertical, black edged, white bar 

 in front of the eye being very characteristic ; underside uniform 

 whitish, each ventral with a black mark near the outer edge." 



Measurements of Natrix stolata (Linnxu^) . 



mnL 



Total length 522 



Snout to vent 382 



Vent to tip of tail • 140 



Variation. — Boulenger gives the ranges of ventrals and sub- 

 caudals as 120 to 161 and 50 to 89, respectively. Those recorded 

 by Stejneger ''" from Formosa are ventrals, 142 to 150 ; subcau- 

 dals, 65 to 81. 



Remarks. — I have at hand a snake (No. 169, Bureau of Science 

 collection) from Batan Island, just south of Formosa, which I 

 have hesitated to refer to this species. It differs somewhat from 

 the typical form. There are two preoculars, a single anterior 

 temporal, and on one side the upper part of the seventh labial 

 is broken, forming an anomalous scale. There is a light area 

 in front of the eye, and the belly is spotted with small dark dots. 



Unfortunately there is but a single specimen from this locality, 

 and this a very young one. It would appear to be the "missing 

 link" between Natrix stolata and A^. spilogaster. In the colora- 

 tion of the belly it agrees with the latter ; in the presence of a 

 single anterior temporal, with the former. I am unable to de- 

 termine with certainty the presence or absence of apical pits. 



A specimen of Natri.v spilogaster which I collected at Baguio 

 has a single anterior temporal, but there are two very small 

 scales inserted between this and the sixth labial. Only the 

 fourth and fifth labials enter the eye. The spotting on the belly 

 is not so distinct as in the Batan specimen, and the outer row 

 of scales is quite smooth ; there are 159 ventrals ; the tip of the 

 tail is missing; there are two preoculars, and apical pits are 

 present. . 



In two specimens of Natrix s-pilogaster in the Bureau of 

 Science collection (Nos. 182 and 204) there is but a single an- 

 terior temporal present, but it is noticeably widened, suggesting 

 a fusion of two scales. A third specimen (No. 192) has one 

 anterior temporal on the right side and two on the left. 



* Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. 



