﻿ABT. 
  24 
  

  

  SOUTH 
  AMERICAN 
  SNAKES 
  AMARAL 
  

  

  27 
  

  

  Summarizing 
  the 
  above 
  data 
  according 
  to 
  both 
  sex 
  and 
  geo- 
  

   graphical 
  distribution 
  of 
  the 
  various 
  specimens, 
  the 
  following 
  averages 
  

   have 
  been 
  found: 
  

  

  On 
  the 
  basis 
  of 
  the 
  study 
  of 
  these 
  102 
  specimens 
  I 
  am 
  now 
  able 
  to 
  

   redescribe 
  the 
  species 
  as 
  follows: 
  

  

  MICRURUS 
  LEMNISCATUS 
  (Linnaeus) 
  

  

  Eye 
  about 
  two 
  to 
  three 
  fifths 
  its 
  distance 
  from 
  the 
  oral 
  margin. 
  

   Rostral 
  wider 
  than 
  deep; 
  frontal 
  as 
  wide 
  as 
  or 
  much 
  wider 
  than 
  the 
  

   supraocular, 
  once 
  and 
  a 
  half 
  to 
  twice 
  as 
  long 
  as 
  wide, 
  as 
  long 
  as 
  its 
  

   distance 
  from 
  the 
  end 
  of 
  the 
  snout, 
  shorter 
  than 
  the 
  parietals, 
  which 
  

   are 
  longer 
  than 
  their 
  distance 
  from 
  the 
  internasals; 
  one 
  prae 
  — 
  and 
  

   two 
  postoculars; 
  temporals 
  1 
  + 
  1, 
  anterior 
  usually 
  much 
  longer 
  

   and 
  narrower 
  than 
  posterior; 
  seven 
  upper 
  labials, 
  third 
  much 
  larger 
  

   than 
  fourth, 
  third 
  and 
  fourth 
  entering 
  the 
  orbit; 
  four 
  lower 
  labials 
  

   in 
  contact 
  with 
  the 
  anterior 
  chin-shields 
  which 
  are 
  about 
  as 
  long 
  as 
  

   the 
  posterior. 
  Scales 
  in 
  15 
  rows. 
  Ventrals 
  205-247 
  in 
  males, 
  

   226-267 
  in 
  females; 
  anal 
  divided; 
  subcaudals 
  21-42. 
  Body 
  red 
  

   with 
  triads 
  of 
  black 
  annuli, 
  subequal 
  or 
  the 
  middle 
  a 
  little 
  wider; 
  

   6-14 
  triads 
  on 
  the 
  body 
  in 
  males, 
  7-18 
  in 
  females; 
  usually 
  1-2 
  triads 
  

   on 
  the 
  tail; 
  black 
  annuli 
  separated 
  by 
  light 
  yellow 
  ones 
  which 
  may 
  

   be 
  spotted 
  or 
  dotted 
  with 
  black 
  or 
  only 
  have 
  black-edged 
  scales; 
  

   head 
  red 
  (yellow 
  sometimes 
  in 
  preserved 
  specimens), 
  with 
  two 
  

   transverse 
  black 
  bands, 
  one 
  on 
  the 
  snout 
  and 
  another 
  across 
  the 
  

   frontal 
  region; 
  sometimes 
  one 
  or 
  two 
  small 
  spots 
  on 
  the 
  occiput 
  or 
  

   head-shields 
  black, 
  edged 
  with 
  yellow. 
  

  

  