No. 471] 



231 



In my previous paper the dichromatism of this species was 

 mentioned. This is also shown very well among these specimens. 

 One about 12h inches long is almost uniform huffish brown above 

 with a lateral row of small darker markings. A few dark mark- 

 ings are on the gastrosteges, which are yellow. The tail is blackish 

 above for one inch, below for less than inch. Two other speci- 

 mens of about the same size are slaty blue with two dorsal rows 

 of squarish darker blotches. Between these pairs of markings 

 is a narrow very light band. Two others are brown with a double 

 row of dorsal markings. The sixth, and smallest, is o\ inches 

 long. It is slate-colored, the dorsal markings are fused. There 

 is a very distinct lateral row of squarish spots and on the i^astro- 

 steges posteriorly there are two rows of (hiik spot^ i^cnerally in 

 pairs. The distal .\ inch of the tail is bright yellow with the ex- 

 treme tip black. Previously it has been noted that the amount 

 of black on the tail seemed correlated with age. The scale counts 

 of these specimens are given in the same order as that in which 

 they have been mentioned:— 



S 13 25 23 _ J3_ 23 _ ^3 



^' 152+31' 149+31' 152+30' 157+33' 153 + 31' 153+33 

 The natives call these "thunder snakes," because they say 



that they frequently crawl about after s(>vere rain storms. 



This species is most frequently taken among the heaps of 



broken rock which are piled about the trnnks of orange trees; 



Alsophis vudii Cope. 



Twenty-four specimens, all from New Providence Island. 



The largest specimen is 43 inches in total length with the tail 

 12 inches long. The smallest is about 21 inches long, with the 

 tail nearly one third of the total length. 



The color of this species is vastly more variai)!.' than piil.lished 

 descriptions and material previously examined, had suggested. 

 One large one about 40 inches long, has the head and neck mottled 

 black and rich reddish brown. There is a black stripe on each 

 side of the neck. The color gradually changes until the posterior 



