CALAMARIA 193 



the subcaudal, 16 to 23 ; the low ventral count, 144, is from 

 the Sarawak specimen. In the Palawan specimens the average 

 count is 179 for ventrals. The variations in color may be due 

 to the age of the specimens. 



Remarks. — Griffin ''■' has called attention to the fact that the 

 Bureau of Science specimens differ in color and markings from 

 those listed by Boulenger. Larger series of specimens may 

 show constant variations which merit specific designation for 

 these varieties. 



CALAMARIA MEARNSI Stejneger 



Calamaria mearnsi Stejneger, Smith. Misc. Coll. 50 (1908) 30; 

 Griffin, Philip. .Journ. Sci. § D 6 (1911) 262. 



Description of si^ecies. — (After the type description.) Ros- 

 tral well visible from above ; frontal slightly longer than broad, 

 more than twice as broad as supraoculars, shorter than parie- 

 tals ; 1 preocular ; 1 postocular ; diameter of eye less than half 

 its distance from edge of mouth ; 5 supralabials, third and fourth 

 entering eye ; 2 pairs of chin shields, in contact with each other ; 

 mental separated from chin shields by first pair of lower labials ; 

 scales in 13 rows; ventrals 251; anal entire; subcaudals 12 

 pairs; tip of tail rounded. 



Colo-}' m alcohol. — Dark brown above, each of the two outer 

 scale rows broadly tipped with pale yellowish ; parietals and pre- 

 frontals with pale yellowish markings; a pale yellowish collar, 

 about two scales wide; seven scale rows behind head; a pair of 

 large pale spots on sides at base of tail ; tip of tail pale, except 

 extreme point which is dark; underside uniform pale with ends 

 of ventrals like back; a dark brown line along middle of under- 

 side of tail. 



Measuyetnenis of Calamaria mearnsi Stejneger. 



mm. 

 Total length 270 



Snout to vent 262 



Tail 8 



Remarks. — This species is known only from the type. It was 

 collected in Tangob, northern Mindanao, June 10, 1906, by Maj. 

 E. A. Mearns. 



Stejneger remarks: "This species is apparently most closely 

 allied to Calamaria everetti and the C. pavimenta group ; but 

 differs from the latter in the number of supralabials, and from 

 both in the much smaller eye ; the large number of ventrals dis- 



* Loc. cit. 



161465 18 



