CALAMARIA 187 



There are two known subspecies of Calamaria gervaisii in 

 the Philippines.* These are Calamaria gervaisii gervaisii and 

 Calamaria gervaisii iridescens. They may be distinguished as 

 follows : 



Key to the subspecies of CcUamaria gervaisii Dumeril and Bib)on. 



a\ Ventrals, males, 148 to 158; females, 162 to 167; subcaudals, males, 

 15 to 18; females, 12 or 13; brown with 3 lateral rows of white dots, 

 and usually 4 dorsal rows of black dots. 



C. g. gervaisii Dumeril and Bibron (p. 187). 

 a\ Ventrals, males, 158 to 165; females, 178 to 180; subcaudals, males, 

 18 or 19; females, 14; dark iridescent brown above; only a single 

 row of white dots along side of body. 



C. g. iridescens Taylor (p. 188). 



The former subspecies is especially common in Luzon, even in 

 the city of Manila. f It is a gregarious, burrowing species. 



CALAMARIA GERVAISII GERVAISII Dumeril and Bibron J 



Description of subspecies. — (From No. 941, E. H. Taylor col- 

 lection, collected in Manila by W. Schultze.) (Adult female.) 

 Head not distinct from body ; rostral broadly visible above ; pre- 

 frontals large ; no internasals ; frontal longer than broad, about 

 twice the width of supraocular, much shorter than parietals; 

 latter in contact for more than half their length; nasal very 

 small, a mere rim around nostril, surrounded by rostral, first 

 labial, and prefrontal; 1 small preocular; 1 small postocular; 6 

 upper labials, fifth largest, third and fourth entering eye ; no 

 anterior temporals ; one posterior temporal ; 6 lower labials, the 

 3 anterior touching first chin shields which are in contact with 

 mental; second pair of chin shields about half as large as first 

 pair, barely in contact anteriorly. Scales in 1.3 smooth rows; 

 ventrals, 162; anal single; subcaudals, 12. Tail length is con- 

 tained in total length twenty times. 



Color in life. — Above, light brown with four rows of small, 

 longitudinal, dark dots dorsally. The three outer scale rows 

 with white dots, those on first and third rows largest and 

 most distinct ; upper and lower edges of scales of outer row very 

 dark brown, as are also edges of ventral scales; belly yellow- 

 orange; ventrals with numerous small dots of dark color, with 

 posterior edges of many scales dimly edged with darker; lower 



* Boulenger's variety C. may represent a distinct subspecies. 



t Kenneth, Carl, and Bettie Knust, three ardent young herpetologists, 

 collected more than 300 specimens of C. gervaisii gervaisii about the yard 

 of their home in Malate, Manila. 



J For synonymy see ispecies. 



