90 SNAKES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 



is only faintly keeled; ventrals, 157; anal double; subcaudals, 

 72 ; eye large ; body very slender. 



Color in life. — Above a dark olivaceous gray, with a lighter, 

 median, ashy gray stripe, terminating in a spot of the same color 

 immediately behind the parietal shields; on each side of this 

 line is a series of dim, elongate, dark spots, immediately below 

 which is a series of light, ashy gray spots, followed by another 

 dim series of dark spots below. The markings are not especially 

 distinct; on the outer edge of the ventrals and extending on the 

 first row of scales is a milky white line which widens behind the 

 angle of the jaw; head dark in the parietal region, and somewhat 

 lighter on the snout; throat, lips, and temporal region dull 

 whitish, with small dark spots on the labial sutures and a distinct 

 black spot on the sixth labial ; three dark stripes on the belly, 

 the two outer joining the dark parietal area, crossing the angle 

 of the jaw; the median ventral black stripe begins on the twen- 

 tieth ventral, and continues to the tail ; these three lines of black 

 are separated by two white lines formed by continuous series of 

 triangular white spots ; only two black stripes under the tail, 

 separated by a single light stripe. 



Measurements of Matrix auriculata (Gunther) . 



mm. 



Total length 524 



Tail 145 



Width of head 10 



Length of head 14 



Variation. — The known range of ventrals and subcaudals is 

 150 to 158 and 75 to 91, respectively. There is some variation in 

 the arrangement of the temporals. They usually assume the re- 



2 

 lation of "H-3; the females have a larger average of ventrals 



and a smaller average of subcaudals than the males. The type 

 is a female having 2 preoculars, 2 postoculars, 152 ventrals, and 

 76 subcaudals. 



Remarks. — This species is evidently restricted to the southern 

 Philippines. It is known from Samar, and from eastern and 

 southern Mindanao. All the specimens here recorded are from 

 Agusan River A'alley, where it seems to be quite common. It 

 is the smallest species of Natiix inhabiting our territory. 



The specimens in my collection were all taken in the im- 

 mediate vicinity of water, usually under leaves or logs at the edge 

 of a small swamp. The species is very well dilferentiated from 

 all the other Philippine species of Nnffi.v by its small size, it:? 

 large, blunt head, and the markings on the bellv. 



