162 Recent Literature. [ February, 
RECENT LITERATURE. ; 
Mission SCIENTIFIQUE AU MEXIQUE; RECHERCHES ZOOLOGIQUES, 
TROIS. PARTIE, RECH. SUR LES REPTILES ET LES BATRACIENS, pat 
MM. Dumeéril et Bocourt—This part of this magnificent work 
advances well into the Ophidia, which is the only order remat 
ing to be completed to bring the series to a close. Forty-eight 
species, are described, of which thirty-six are figured as to the 
details of the scutellation of the head and adjacent parts of the 
body. These figures are nicely executed, and two of them, rep 
resenting species of Ninia, are full length and colored. This | 
work brings the subject of Mexican - Ophiology nearer to, e 
than any general work, and includes a number of species Y 
North America and the West Indies. We have not been able 11 
previous numbers to praise the systematic treatment of the pi 
ject, and the present number presents rather more numerous 
fects than any of its predecessors. Thus the species describe 
purport to belong to the group Calamariine. Nevertheless 1t 8 
quite certain the serpents like Ninia cannot belong to the me T 
natural group as Catostoma and Carphophiops, the only charac 
ter they possess in common being their small size. I have showt : 
in fact' that Ninia must be arranged with Storeria and To 
notus on account of the presence of hypapophyses throug ct 
the dorsal vertebral column. As to nomenclature, the failure t 
adopt the names of Baird and Girard, where they have prom | 
of date of publication over those of Duméril and Bibron, K E 
serious error. Inconsistencies in nomenclature are obser a 
Thus Chersodromus is adopted, while Colorhogia, which rests 
the same differential character, is not adopted. The genus iga 
Cope ; and E. sumichrasti, Geagras sumichrasti Boc. Con te | 
D. & B., is Haldea B. & G.; Streptophorus D. & B., is Nima 
sc 7 
redimitus is Colorhogia redimita Cope. Conopsis in wo T 
genera, as I have pointed out. C. nasus and C. mat pee af 
erly belong to it, while C. lineatus is Toluca lineata > -tot 
account of the presence of internasals. C varians belong’ ove 
genus Ogmius Cope, on account of the presence of me: 
teeth? In the same way Ficimia ornata is distinct from 
1 Proceedings Phila. Academy, 1864, p. 167. 
2 See Journal Academy Phila., 1875, p. 142. 
