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3 of the Museum of Comparative Zodlogy
AT HARVARD COLLEGE.

TERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

ca

WITH FIFTEEN PLATES,

. ae}

: ~

oirs of the aDuseum of Comparative Lodloay
AT HARVARD COLLEGE.
Vou. XLVIL- No. 2:

«

THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA,

BY
3 - THOMAS BARBOUR AND CHARLES T. RAMSDEN.

WITH FIFTEEN PLATES.

SMITHSON

‘AM INSTITUTIQN
LIBRA
LES

“

CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A.:
Printed for tbe MDuseum.
May, 1919.

CONTENTS.

Paap
Imtroductiontersss <f* i . . ns We
Synopsis of the species . ... . 73
Species erroneously recorded . . . . 75
(Ceapraphicmote ssn <= eS
Faunal relationships ...... 79
Check list of the species . . a ew Oe
Systematic account of the species . . 93
Keys . . OSS ease sey 290
Amphibia Salientia Sata cars tees | 98
Keytothe genera .: ... . 93
Hylidae ... ee as 25a 193
Hyla Serienesanale Boulenger,
Plate 1, fig. 1 NUS wie Sc 9S
Bufonidae . . . on Bic, ee)
Key to the species of Bufo Sims @s. 95
Bufo longinasus Stejneger, Plate
RE srl) ee 95

ramsdeni Barbour, Plate 1, fig. 2 96
peltacephalus Tschudi, Plate 13,

rites A) ge 98
empusus (Cope), ae ale ae 3 100
Leptodactylidae . . . 102

Key to the species of Bleudhaudar
tyluss oe 102

Eleutherodactylus ricordii (Dari
éril & Bibron), Plate 13, fig.

SSO ee in ok Be oe ced LOD
dimidiatus (Cope), Plate 18,

Fe Ge enya) vier 104
cuneatus (Cope), Plate 13, le

9-11 ees: 105

plicatus Barbour, Plate 6, fig. 1 107
varians (Gundlach & Peters),

Plate 13, fig. 12-14 es a 08
auriculatus (Cope), Plate 6,
fee, ao My ew eA
Ranidae . . . 112
Phyllobates eben Cone: Plate
eee, ee
Reptilia Squamata Sauria. . . . . 113
Key tothe genera ..... . 113
Gekkonidse! 2 0 2 . . = 114

Gonatodes fuscus (Hallowell),
Plate 1, fig. 5 ;
Tarentola cubana (Gundlach &

Pacnr

114

Peters), Plate 14, fig. 1 116
Hemidactylus mabouia (Moreau

de Jonnés) Faas 117

Key to the species of Eplaersdnetyins 119
Sphaerodactylus torrei Barbour,

Plate sorties deco) no 119
elegans MacLeay, Plate 2, fig. 3 121
cinereus MacLeay, Plate 2, fig. 4 122
nigropunctatus Gray, Plate 3

fig. 1 rete Ah oan oy dP!
notatus Baird, Plate 3, fig. 2 125
*scaber Barbour & Ramsden Plate

3, fig. 3 126

Iguanidae Roa (eee. 2S
Chamaeleolis chamaeleontides *
ae & Bibron) Plate 14,
fig. 2, 3 ‘ 128
Deiroptyx vermiculatus (Duméril
& Bibron), Plate 14, fig. 4 130
Key to the species of Anolis 132
Anolis equestris Merrem, Plate 14,

fig. 5 Rie uct omen eS
angusticeps Hallowell Plate 7,

fig. 1 ies else
isolepis Cope, Plate 7, co 2 137
lucius Duméril & Bibron, Plate

6, fig. 4 138
argenteolus Cope, Plate 14, fig. 6 140
sagrei Duméril & Bibron, Plate

14, fig. 7 142
greyi Barbour, Plate 7 fie 5 144
bremeri Barbour, Plate 6, fig. 5 144
loysiana (Cocteau) Plate 3, fig.

4; Plate 7, fig. 4 146
argillaceus Cope, Plate 7, fg 6 147
spectrum Peters, Plate 7, fig.5 149
cyanopleurus Cope, Plate 4,

fig. 1; Plate 6, fig. 6; Plate 8,

fig. 1-3 . 150

* New species.

72
Anolis alutaceus ae Plate 9,
hg Ae a tO
homolechis (Cone), Plate 14,
fig. 8 ;
*rubribarbus Barbour & ane.
den, Plate 9, fig. 2, 3

*quadriocellifer Barbour & Rams-
den, Plate 10, fig. 1
*allogus Barbour & Ramsden,
Plate 10, fig. 2
mestrei Barbour & Ramsden.
Plate 10, fig. 3 :
poreatus Gray, Plate 14, fig. 9
Norops ophiolepis (Cope), Plate
14, fig. 10
Cyclura macleayi Gray, Plate ‘11,
fig. 2,3
Key to the species of Teiceqshalng
Leiocephalus carinatus Gray, Plate
7 ey iti he aa
cubensis (Gray) Plate 14, fe
12
raviceps Cone Plate 10, She: 4
macropus Cope, Plate 10, fig.
Anguidae

Celestus de la sagra (CBetean), ;

Plate 14, fig. 13

Xantusiidae

Cricolepis typica (Gundlach, &
Peters), Plate 4, fig. 2; Plate
11, fig. 1

Teiidae

Ameiva auberi Gonkan ‘Plate 14,
fig. 14

Amphisbaenidae

Cadea blanoides Stejneger, ‘Plate
15, fig. 1

Amphisbaena —cubana
Plate 15, fig. 2

Reptilia Squamata Serpentes
Key to the genera
Typhlopidae

Peters,

CONTENTS.
PaGE
Typhlops lumbricalis (Linné),
153 Plate 11, fig. 4, 5
Boidae
155 Epicrates pecdiies Bibra Plate
15, fig. 3 ;
156 Key to the species of Trepiloghe
Tropidophis melanurus (Schlegel),
158 Plate'5; fos eae
pardalis (Gundlach), ‘Plate 6,
159 fig. 2
maculatus (Bibron)s Plate 5, fig.
161 3 Pa Pe nr.
163 semicinctus (Gundlach & Peters)
Plate 15, fig. 4-6
164 Natricidae
Tretanorhinus qaraiia) Damen
166 & Bibron, Plate 5, fig. 9
169 Alsophis angulifer (Bibron), Plate
15, fig. 7 ‘
169 Leimadophis andreae (Rewharde
& Liitken), Plate 15, fig. 8
171 Key to the species of Arrhyton
172 Arrhyton taeniatum Giinther,
Plate 15, fig. 10, 11 . F
173 vittatum (Gundlach & Peters),
175 Plate 15, fig. 12, 13
redimitum (Cope)
175 | Reptilia Testudinata
177 Testudinidae 5 Sea
Pseudemys palustris (Gmelin),
Plate 15, fig. 14-16
177 | Reptilia Loricata
179 Crocodylidae
Key to the species at Grecodetns
179 Crocodylus acutus Cuvier, Plate
181 12, fig. 1
rhombifer Cuvier, Plate 12, fig. 2
181 | Postscript ‘
*Sphaerodacty ey Siastawibic Bae
183 bour & Ramsden
185 Natrix compressicauda diene:
185 cott) :
185 | Explanation of the Bie

* New species.

Pace

185
186

186
188

THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

INTRODUCTION.

No previous attempt has been made to produce a complete list of the
amphibians and reptiles of Cuba with descriptions of the species. It should be
expressly understood that the senior author is responsible for the actual writ-
ing of this paper, for the nomenclature, and taxonomic descriptions, and the
junior author has contributed many details of distribution and notes upon
habits and habitats; his work has been chiefly in the Guantanamo Basin, and
of this region he has the intimate knowledge which only long residence can give.
The senior author besides having been privileged to collect with his associate
upon Monte Libano, and elsewhere about Guantanamo, has visited various
chosen localities in all of the other provinces, usually several times. Thus one
or other of the writers has himself collected, with a few exceptions, every defi-
nitely known Cuban reptile or amphibian.

In 1880 Gundlach published his classic Erpetologia Cubana in Havana and
in the natural course of events many changes have taken place since that time
which have affected the nomenclature and status of the species treated, while
new forms have been discovered.

SYNOPSIS OF THE SPECIES.

GUNDLACH in 1880 recognized fifty-four species of reptiles (aside from
marine tortoises) and twelve species of amphibians. In 1914, only sixty-three
species altogether were recognized (Barbour, Reptiles and Amphibians of the
West Indies, Mem. M. C. Z., 44), many of Gundlach’s names being reduced to
the synonymy, or otherwise disposed of, and but comparatively few new species
described. The following comparative table shows the present status of the
species mentioned in Gundlach’s Erpetologia Cubana, (Habana 1880, p. 1-99).

74

Name in Gundlach}
Emys rugosa
Crocodilus rhombifer

americanus
Ameiva auberi
Leiocephalus carinatus
vittatus
macropus
taviceps
Cyclura carinata
Anolis equestris
fernandinae
porcus
vermiculatus
carolinensis
sagrae
lucius
argenteolus
angusticeps
isolepis
ophiolepis
cyanopleurus
alutaceus
spectrum
loysiana
argillaceus
Platydactylus cubanus

Hemidactylus mabuia introduced

Sphaeriodactylus sputator
cinereus
argus
notatus

fantasticus
Gymnodactylus albogularis

Cricosaura typica
Diplogossus sagrae
Amphisbaena punctata
cubana
Typhlops lumbricalis
Ungalia melanura
maculata
semicineta
Epicrates angulifer

Urotheca dumerilii undoubtedly not Cuban

Cryptodacus vittatus
Arrhyton taeniatum
fulvum

' Listed in Gundlach’s sequence.

THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

Name in-present use.

Pseudemys palustris
Crocodylus rhombifer
acutus

Leiocephalus macleayi

Cyclura eyclura

Chamaeleolis chamaeleontides
chamaeleontides

Deiroptyx vermiculatus
Anolis poreatus
sagrel

Norops ophiolepis

Tarentola cubana
Hemidactylus mabouia
Sphaerodactylus torrei
cinereus
cinereus
notatus
scaber
Gonatodes fuscus
Cricolepis typica
Celestus de la sagrae
Cadea blanoides

Trophidophis melanurus
maculatus
semicinctus

Arrhyton vittatum

Arrhyton taeniatum

2 An omission indicates no change from Gundlach’s name.

SPECIES ERRONEOUSLY RECORDED. 75

Colorhagia redimita Arrhyton redimitum

Dromicus angulifer Alsophis angulifer
adspersus angulifer
fugitivus Leimadophis andreae

temporalis undoubtedly not Cuban __ Urotheca lateristriga
Tretanorhinus variabilis

Tropidonotus cubanus Natrix compressicauda
anoscopus ?Natrix rhombifer, or perhaps an African
species.
Peltaphryne peltacephalus Bufo peltacephalus
empusa empusus
Phyllobates bicolor probably Mexican
limbatus
Trachycephalus marmoratus Hyla septentrionalis
insulsus septentrionalis
wrightii septentrionalis
Hylodes dimidiatus Eleutherodactylus dimidiatus
auriculatus auriculatus
ricordii ricordii
varians varians
cuneatus cuneatus

SPECIES ERRONEOUSLY RECORDED.

Many species either through a misplaced label, in the museum or in the
field, have been recorded from localities which know them not. Errors arise
also from mistaking a species which has been accidentally or purposely
introduced for a native form. Cf. Gundlach’s account of Hemidactylus mabouia
(Erp. Cub., 1880, p. 55).

1. CAYMAN scLEROPS (Schneider).

While this alligator is really South American, it has been recorded from
Cuba by Gray (Ann. mag. nat. hist., 1840, 5, p. 115).

2. TESTUDO DENTICULATA Linné.

This species, usually known by the name of Testudo tabulata Walbaum, has
been often carried about alive and hence has been recorded from many of the
Antilles, from Cuba and Porto Rico among others. It is confined to the South

American mainland.

76 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

3. TrESTUDO POLYPHEMUS Daudin.

Really confined to Florida, but recorded by Gray from Cuba (Ann. mag.
nat. hist. 1840, 5, p. 115).

4. CINOSTERNON BAURI Garman.

A Floridian tortoise; one of the types was said to have been sent to the
M. C. Z. by Filipe Poey, from Cuba. Either Professor Poey obtained the
specimen from Florida and neglected to mention the fact, or an incorrect label
was substituted for the original after it was received at the Museum. There
is an example of Gerrhonotus in the U. 8. N. M. which has suffered exactly the
same vicissitudes, bearing now a Poey label.

5. Navrix ANoscopa (Cope).

This was probably based on a specimen from the southern United States,
although Stejneger thinks Cope may have had an African form. The evidence
that Gundlach ever found a Natrix in Cuba is extremely unconvincing, since
none has been found there by any other collector. It is quite probable that
his Tropidonotus cubanus (Erp. Cubana, 1880, p. 81) was really based on an
anomalous example of the “catibo” (Tretanorhinus variabilis). There is no
specimen of Natrix (Tropidonotus auct.) in the Museo Gundlach of the Insti-
tuto de Segunda Ensenanza in Havana. (See Postscript, p. 212).

6. LEIMADOPHIS PARVIFRONS (Cope).

Under the name of (Liophis) parvifrons Meerwarth records (Mitth. Natur.
mus. Hamb., 1901, 18, p. 15), a specimen of this Haitian species from Cuba.
The specimen apparently entirely lacks definite data. That this record should
not be queried by Meerwarth will hardly surprise one who consults this paper,
for on page 9 it is stated that the Hamburg museum possesses Constrictor
(called Boa) imperator from St. Thomas!

7. DRomicus TEMPORALIS Cope.

This species and a so-called Scoliophis fumiceps were described from speci-
mens said to have been in the M. C. Z. The type of the latter cannot be found

SPECIES ERRONEOUSLY RECORDED. aU

but it is evidently a Tantilla. The type of D. tem poralts is referable to Urotheca
lateristriga. Both examples doubtless came from Central America and not
Cuba as Cope records.

8. URotTHECcCA puMERILIT Bibron.

Only known from Cuba through the collections sent to Paris by Ramon
de la Sagra. Never since that time has the species been found in Cuba. The
other species of the genus are all from the mainland. Prof. de la Torre tells
us that a number of species of molluscs from the Central American mainland
were reported as coming from Cuba by d’Orbigny, also from the collections of
de la Sagra. Evidently de la Sagra shipped material from the mainland to
Paris with his Cuban collections and as these bear no definite localities in the
published accounts it is quite likely that no label was sent with any of the speci-
mens and that it was simply assumed that all came from Cuba.

We suspect that possibly the reverse occurred with the collections of More-
let, who gathered material first in Cuba, then went to Central America, whence
probably all was sent to Europe. Thus the Cuban species Crocodylus rhombifer
and Tropidophis semicincta may have been carried to Central America and
possibly these appear now as Crocodylus moreleti and Tropidophis moreleti from
Central America, where they do not seem to be found by recent collectors.
Regarding the latter possibility ef. Stejneger (Proc. U. S. N. M., 1917, 53, Ds
281).

9. PHYLLOBATES BICOLOR Bibron.

This species so beautifully figured by Bibron in the Histoire of de la Sagra
has never been discovered in any collection made in Cuba since de la Sagra’s
time and it certainly appears as if the history of this species is the same as that
of Urotheca dumerilit.

10. Buro martinis (Linné).

Meerwarth records a specimen from Cuba and tersely remarks that it is
typisch. No great surprise if he really had marinis which is not found in Cuba
(Mitth. Natur. mus. Hamb., 1901, 18, p. 40).

11. Hemimacryius Masoura (Moreau).

This species has a somewhat different history from those preceding. It is
one which has been carried far and wide through tropical America from Africa,

78 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

probably during the slave-trade. Gundlach evidently did not know that it was
not a native Cuban species. (Cf. Erp. Cub. 1880, p. 55). A detailed descrip-
tion of this species is given in its systematic position on p. 117.

GEOGRAPHIC NOTE.

Cuba, the largest and richest of all the West Indies, has an area all told,
including the outlying cayos, of about 123,000 square kilometers. The Island
is about 1,200 kilometers long and varies greatly in breadth, from 40 to 200
kilometers. It is distant 210 kilometers east of Yucatan, about 180 kilometers
south of Florida, and 77 west of Haiti. Generally speaking the rainfall increases
as one passes eastward through the island. The central provinces of Havana,
Matanzas, Santa Clara, and Camaguey are in great part level, devoted to the
cultivation of sugar-cane or the raising of cattle and horses. Even in these
provinces there are ranges of rounded hills composed of metamorphosed igneous
rocks as well as scattered remnants of limestone either in the form of isolated
hillocks or mogotes as they are called locally, or more extensive chains called
sierras in contradistinction to lomas, the term sometimes used for hills other
than those of limestone. In Pinar del Rio and far more so in Oriente the lime-
stone ranges are well developed and reach considerable heights. Pico Tur-
quino has an estimated altitude of 2,400 meters and is the highest summit in
Cuba. Spanish language and custom combine to endow any land colonized
by Spain with a marvellously complete equipment of place-names and every
brook, spring, hillock, or dale whether inhabited or not, if it has ever been visited
at all, has some often wonderfully trite name. No one unfamiliar with the
local idiom would believe that so great a series of beautifully differentiating
names were available for every physiographic feature. This state of affairs
makes it very simple to designate accurately the locality where one has col-
lected. The only difficulty is that names often change. The student inter-
ested in the distribution of Cuban species will do well to consult the excellent
map (in two large sheets) published by the U. S. War Department and the
Geografia de la Isla de Cuba by Aguayo and de la Torre (Habana La Moderna
Poesia, 1907). The latter which is the regular text-book of geography used in
the Cuban schools is wholly excellent.

FAUNAL RELATIONSHIPS. 79

FAUNAL RELATIONSHIPS.

There can be no reasonable doubt but that in the past Cuba has been sub-
jected to a number of fundamental changes of level. Ammonites of Jurassic
age are found in Pinar del Rio (Puerto de Ancon, Vifiales, San Diego de los
Bafios) while in the central provinces Barettia, hippuritids and similar fossils
bear evidence of depression there. Thus we may imagine Cuba as having been
an archipelago by the evidence of these marine deposits and by the fact as well
that so many of the sierras have their own very distinct faunulae of terrestrial
molluscs. These often point to curious possible connections in the past. The
axis of the Sierra Maestra, if prolonged, would reach out to the Cayman Islands
and to Swan Island and the relationships of the land shells suggest some such
condition in the past. So also the molluses of the sierras of the Island of Pines
and those of Camaguey point to a relationship far more intimate than exists at
present. The amphibians and reptiles, because of their ability to spread with
comparative ease in a region where no great natural barriers exist, are rather
homogeneously distributed throughout the Island. Nevertheless there are
conspicuous exceptions such as the two remarkable toads Bufo longinasus and

B. ramsdeni.
The connection at some time in the past of Cuba with both Yucatan and

Haiti is very strongly indicated by the fauna, not only among the reptiles and
amphibians but in very many other groups.'

Since Cuba is by far the largest of the Antilles in area it is by no means
surprising to find that it supports the largest number of species of reptiles and
amphibians of any of the islands, there being no less than seventy species at pres-
ent recorded. Two of these appear to have been introduced, while no less than
fifty-two are peculiar to Cuba. The Cuban fauna differs in some important
respects from that of either Jamaica, Haiti, or Porto Rico. The presence of
Phyllobates, Tretanorhinus, Arrhyton, Norops, and Cricosaura bespeaks a close
relationship to the neighboring continent, in which the other islands have not
shared. So, also, the presence of no less than four species of Bufo, only one of
which, B. empusus, has close allies in B. gutturosus of Haiti, B. lemur of Porto
Rico, and B. turpis of Virgin Gorda. While of the others B. peltacephalus is
not so very unlike some of the continental forms, but B. longinasus and B.

For a discussion of the Antillean land bridges see Bull. M. C. Z., 1910, 52, p. 275-285; Mem.
M. C. Z., 1914, 44, p. 214-237; Ann. N. Y. acad. sci., 1916, 27, p. 1-15.

80 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

ramsdeni, while they are related to each other, have no close affinity with any
Bufo anywhere. The single Hyla is decidedly similar to H. dominicensis of Haiti
or H. brunnea of Jamaica. Upon Jamaica, however, another very peculiar
Hyla, H. lichenata, is found with a possible ally, H. vasta, in Haiti; and there,
still a third species, H. pulchrilineata, occurs with affinities to H. eximia of
Mexico, H. andersonii of the white cedar swamps of the eastern United States
and so to H. arborea of Europe. The beautiful little Phyllobates is the only
species of its genus which is not found upon the mainland, except for P. trini-
tatis which is probably not congeneric. The Eleutherodactyli, six in number,
embrace four which are peculiar to the island. These four might be said per-
haps to be rather more like mainland than Antillean types; H. ricordii, however,
is found in the Bahamas and Florida, having appeared there recently, and EZ.
auriculatus is more common in Haiti and Porto Rico than it is in Cuba, its type-
locality.

Among the reptiles Deiroptyx and Chamaeleolis are modifications of an
Anolis-like stock, probably Anolis itself. Monotypie and confined to Cuba,
they suggest that they have evolved rather recently, in spite of their great
divergence from Anolis; for they have never spread elsewhere. Cricolepis,
also monotypic, tells a different tale, for, although it too is peculiar to Cuba, it
belongs to an archaic group which persists with but few species, almost all of
which are rare and confined to extremely restricted habitats. The Norops is
very like the continental species, and no other of the genus is found among the
Antilles. The Celestus, the Cyclura, the four Leiocephali, and many of the
species of Anolis are truly West Indian; that is, they belong to groups which
appear to have evolved themselves upon the greater Antillean land area of
which the West Indies are now the disrupted remnants. To this category
belong several of the Sphaerodactyli, S. notatus, picturatus, elegans, cinereus,
nigropunctatus, which are allied to corticolus of the Bahamas, leaving only S.
torrei of the Cuban species without close relations outside of Cuba or occurring
elsewhere among the islands. As a matter of fact, S. lorrei is very possibly
derived from some elegans-like ancestor, perhaps from elegans itself, and since
elegans does not appear in eastern Cuba, although it is found in Haiti, it is possi-
ble that it really represents elegans thus modified in Oriente; for torrei seems to
be found in Oriente only, the one province of Cuba from which elegans is wanting.
It is perhaps more probably related to decoratus of the Bahamas. The Taren-
tola is an enigma; supposedly entirely confined to Cuba, it has been found
recently in the Bahamas, upon Exuma, and being retiring and hard to find it

FAUNAL RELATIONSHIPS. 81

may occur elsewhere in the region. Its relationships are, of course, Mediter-
ranean.

Of the snakes Arrhyton with three species is confined to Cuba and proba-
bly represents some Leptocalamus-like ancestor, modified through isolation.
The Alsophis and Leimadophis are really West Indian, while the Boas, one
Epicrates, and no less than four Tropidophes are typically Greater Antillean.
The Typhlops is insignificant, being very wide-ranging and a type likely to be
transported fortuitously. The fresh-water tortoise is found upon the four
greater islands; Crocodylus acutus, although wanting in Porto Rico occurs on
the other three. Crocodylus rhombifer is peculiar to Cuba and has but one near
ally in C. moreletii of Central America; if this species ever proves to be any-
thing more than rhombifer with a wrong locality label.

The question of whether Cuba is a true continental island and whether
or not it with the other West Indies has ever been joined together to form a
far greater land mass than they do now, has been discussed elsewhere at length
(see footnote p. 79). The discovery of fossil mammals, edentates, rodents,
and an insectivore, unearthed in Cuba through Carlos de la Torre, Barnum
Brown and the exploring parties from the M. C. Z., and the still more surprising
collections made in Porto Rico by Franz Boas and Anthony and recently re-
ported upon by J. A. Allen and Anthony, make it increasingly evident that
this interpretation of the evidence of the amphibians and reptiles is the correct
one. The significance of these fossil troves cannot be exaggerated and how
much exploration remains to be done! A few years ago from densely populated
and widely cultivated Porto Rico not a fossil mammal was known and some of
the most learned palaeontologists did not postulate their presence there. Now
several genera of rodents, an insectivore, and a sloth have been found and
beyond doubt the end is not yet. Haiti is palaeontologically absolutely a terra
incognita, or as perhaps we might better say in a paper upon Cuba, wna tierra
desconocida. If suitable deposits are found, and if fortune favors, there is no
great doubt but that a considerable mammalian fauna will be uncovered in the
future.

Perhaps the most interesting point which a study of the reptiles and amphi-
bians brings out is that, although Cuba supports mainland types not found upon
other islands, it has nevertheless in spite of the swift currents which sweep its
shores and its proximity to Yucatan and Florida a typically West Indian fauna;
those very forms being present in their reasonable proportion or representation,
as so very many of them occur upon every island from Cuba to Grenada. It is

82 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

this homogeneity of the fauna and the character of its components, their habits,
and their life histories which are significant in answering those who believe that
the West Indies were populated by “‘flotsam and jetsam” means. The eggs
of Ameiva, in Jamaica at any rate, have been found by Dr. Grabham of Kings-
ton to be laid three feet underground; probably for this reason Ameiva eggs
have not been found elsewhere. Yet several writers have seriously suggested
the importance of tropical hurricanes and ocean currents in carrying the eggs
of those forms, whose adults even they admit could probably not be transported
by any conceivable means. Every added observation to those now upon record
makes it appear less probable that the eggs are more capable of fortuitous trans-
portal than the adults.

The writers have to thank many who have helped in the preparation of
this paper. First and foremost Dr. Leonhard Stejneger whose wise council
has ever been generously given and who has allowed the use of a number of
cuts. Then to Dr. Carlos de la Torre we are greatly indebted, for he has helped
us beyond measure. Nor can the senior author fail to acknowledge the constant
assistance received from Mr. W. 8. Brooks, who has been his frequent and
welcome companion during many voyages. Mr. Brooks though chiefly inter-
ested in ornithology and conchology has added very many amphibians and
reptiles to our collections and his name should be associated with much of the
material collected by the senior author since 1915. To our host of hospitable
friends, Cuban and American alike, who have aided us in many ways it is im-
possible to express adequately our gratitude. It is useless to even attempt to
number them since they were so many. We shall always remember, however,
specially Sefior don Francisco Morales and Sefor Victor J. Rodriguez.

CHECK LIST OF THE SPECIES. 83

CHECK LIST OF THE SPECIES.

AMPHIBIA: SALIENTIA.

1. HYLA SEPTENTRIONALIS Boulenger.
Boulenger, Cat. Batr. Sal. Brit. mus., 1882, p. 368; Barbour, Mem. M. C. Z., 1914, 44, p. 238.

Occurs throughout the Island.

2. Buro LoNGINASUS Stejneger.
Stejneger, Proc. U. S. N. M., 1905, 28, p. 765; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 240.

Known only from the type found at El Guamd, near Pinar del Rio City.

3. Buro RAMSDENI Barbour.
Barbour, loe. cit., p. 240.

A few specimens only known. All from Monte Libano, near Guantanamo.

4. BUFO PELTACEPHALUS Tschudi.

Tschudi, Class. Batr., 1838, p. 52; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 325; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 241.
Widely spread throughout the Island.

5. Buro mmpusus (Cope).
Cope, Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1862, p. 344; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 326; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 242.

Found where suitable local conditions obtain from Colon in the Province
of Matanzas to the vicinity of the town of Herradura in Pinar del Rio. Exact
limits of range unknown.

6. ELEUTHERODACTYLUS RICORDIT (Duméril & Bibron).
Duméril et Bibron, Erp. gén., 1844, p. 623; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 213; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 243.

Found throughout the Island and in the Bahamas.

7. ELEUTHERODACTYLUS DIMIDIATUS (Cope).
Cope, Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1862, p. 151; Barbour, loe. cit., p. 244.

Known only from the Province of Oriente.

84 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

8. ELEUTHERODACTYLUS CUNEATUS (Cope).

Cope, Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1862, p. 152; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 209; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 244.

A rare but apparently widespread species. It is known from Pinar del
Rio, Santa Clara, and Oriente Provinces.

9. ELEUTHERODACTYLUS PLICATUS Barbour.

Barbour, loc. cit., p. 244.
Known from a few specimens only, all from the region of Monte Libano

near Guantanamo.

10. ELEUTHERODACTYLUS VARIANS (Gundlach «& Peters).

Gundlach und Peters, Monatsb. Akad. wiss. Berlin, 1864, p. 390; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 215; Barbour,
loc. cit., p. 245.

A rare species known from a few scattered localities.

11. ELEUTHERODACTYLUS AURICULATUS (Cope).

Cope, Proc. Acad. nat. sel. Phila., 1862, p. 152; Stejneger, Rept. U.S. N. M., for 1902, 1904, p. 583, fig.
15-19.

Originally described from Oriente in Cuba, it has since been found in Haiti

and Porto Rico.

12. PHYLLOBATES LIMBATUS Cope.

Cope, Proce. Acad. nat. sei. Phila., 1862, p. 154; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 255; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 255.

First found near Guantanamo, rediscovered after many years near Cien-
fuegos, and now also known to be generally distributed on the mountain ranges
of eastern Oriente. Recently found at San Antonio de los Bafios, near Havana.

REPTILIA: SQUAMATA, SAURIA.

13. GonatopEs Fuscus (Hallowell).

Hallowell, Journ. acad. nat. sei. Phila., 1855, new ser. 3, p. 33; Barbour, Bull. M. C. Z., 1910, 62, p. 289;
Mem. M. C. Z., 1914, 44, p. 256.

Cities of Cuba, principally found in buildings. Known also from Jamaica,

where it has probably recently been introduced.

CHECK LIST OF THE SPECIES. 85

14. TARENTOLA CUBANA (Gundlach & Peters).

Gundlach und Peters, Monatsb. Akad. wiss. Berlin, 1864, p. 384; Boulenger, Cat. lizards Brit. mus.,
1885, 1, p. 195; 1887, 3, p. 490; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 259.

A widespread, though generally rare, species. Recently found abundantly
at Puerto Escondido, near Guantanamo, and near Baracoa, and known also
from Exuma Island.

15. Hemimactyitus masourA (Moreau de Jonnés).

Moreau de Jonnés, Bull. Soe. philom., 1818, p. 138.
Widely distributed in America.

16. SPHAERODACTYLUS TORREI Barbour.
Barbour, loc. cit., p. 260.

Not uncommon in the Province of Oriente; the species may occur also in
Haiti. Taken in 1919 near Camoa, Havana Province.

17. SPHAERODACTYLUS ELEGANS MacLeay.
MacLeay, Proc. Zodl. soc. London, 1834, p. 12; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 220; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 261.

Possibly occurs throughout Cuba, but it is certainly most common in the
western and central areas. Recently found in Haiti.

18. SPHAERODACTYLUS CINEREUS MacLeay.

MacLeay, Proc. Zoél. soc. London, 1834, p. 12; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 220; Barbour loe. cit., p. 261.

Distributed over the whole Island. Known also from Haiti.

19. SPHAERODACTYLUS NIGROPUNCTATUS Gray.

Gray, Cat. lizards Brit. mus., 1845, p. 169; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 220, pl. 12, fig. 2; Barbour, loc. cit.,
p. 261.

Known only from Oriente.

20. SPHAERODACTYLUS NOTATUS Baird.
Baird, Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1858, p. 254; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 264; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 264.

Found throughout Cuba, the Bahamas, and in Key West. The Haitian
specimens may be specifically distinct.

86 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

21. SPHAERODACTYLUS SCABER, Sp. NOv.

Probably found only in hills of eastern Santa Clara and western Camaguey.
Closely related to S. picturatus which is widespread in Haiti.

22. CHAMAELEOLIS CHAMAELEONTIDES (Duméril & Bibron).

Duméril et Bibron, Erp. gén., 1837, 4, p. 168; Boulenger, loc. cit., 1885, 2, p.7; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 271.
Widespread throughout the Island in the old high forests, but everywhere
Tare.

23. DEIROPTYX VERMICULATUS (Duméril & Bibron).

Duméril et Bibron, Erp. gén., 1837, 4, p. 128; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 41.

Found along streams and small rivers in Pinar del Rio. It enters the
water to escape pursuit. Often considered an Anolis.

24. ANOLIS EQUESTRIS Merrem.

Merrem, Syst. Amphib., 1820, p. 5; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 45; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 272.

Occurs not only in the woods, throughout the Island and also in orchards,
especially of mango trees. Nowhere abundant.

25. ANOLIS ANGUSTICEPS Hallowell.

Hallowell, Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1856, p. 228; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 292.

A rare woodland species. The type came from Cienfuegos; and was
unique until the species was rediscovered near Cienfuegos; found also in the
Sierra de Guane and in Havana Province.

26. ANOLIS ISOLEPIS Cope.

Cope, Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1861, p. 214; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 46; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 284.
A rare forest species confined to eastern Cuba where it replaces A. angusti-
ceps.

27. Anois Luctus Duméril & Bibron.

Duméril et Bibron, Erp. gén., 4, 1837, p. 105; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 45 (pars); Barbour, loc. cit., p. 284.

Common upon limestone cliffs and crags of Matanzas Province and east-
ward to central Camaguey.

CHECK LIST OF THE SPECIES. 87

28. ANOLIS ARGENTEOLUS Cope.
Cope, Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1861, p. 213; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 285.

Eastern Cuba, almost always found on or near limestone rocks replacing
the preceding.

29. ANOLIS SAGREI Duméril & Bibron.
Duméril et Bibron, Erp. gén., 1837, 4, p. 149; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 286.

The most common lizard in Cuba. Found in shrubs, on fences, and in
gardens throughout the Island. A species characteristic of the cleared and open
lowlands. Found also in Jamaica where it is rare and local (Kingston); it is
probably introduced.

30. ANoLIS GREYI Barbour.

Barbour, loc. cit., p. 287.

Known only from the type-series taken in the garden of the Camaguey
Hotel at Camaguey. Possibly found also in the Sierra de Cubitas.

31. ANOLIS BREMERI Barbour.

Barbour, loe. cit., p. 288.

Type only known. It was taken on a thatched roof not far from Herra-
dura, Cuba.

32. ANOLIS LoysIANA (Cocteau).

Cocteau, L’institute, 31 Aug., 1836, sec. 1, 4, p. 287; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 42 (pars); Barbour, loc. cit.,
p. 290.

Found throughout the Island, but nowhere common.

33. ANOLIS ARGILLACEUS Cope.

Cope, Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1862, p. 176; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 291.

Known from a few specimens, all taken in Oriente.

34. ANOLIS SPECTRUM Peters.

Peters, Monatsb. Akad. wiss. Berlin, 1863, p. 136; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 69; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 291.

This lizard has only been found by Gundlach who took it near Matanzas
and Cardenas. Possibly synonymous with A. alutaceus.

88 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

35. ANOLIS CYANOPLEURUS Cope.

Cope, Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1861, p. 211; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 71; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 292.

First found by Wright at Monte Verde. It has since been found only by
Gundlach in the Sierra Maestra and in the central part of the Island. The type
has apparently been lost;’ the junior author rediscovered the species at the
type-locality in 1918.

36. ANOLIS ALUTACEUS Cope.
Cope, Proce. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1861, p. 212; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 71; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 292.

Not an uncommon species but one very difficult to see and capture. Found
in the forests of the Sierra Maestra, of the mountains about Guantanamo and
in the Provinces of Santa Clara, Matanzas, and Havana.

37. ANOLIS HOMOLECHIS (Cope).

Cope, Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1864, p. 169; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 28; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 274.
A not uncommon woodland species found throughout the Island. Con-
spicuous because of its pure white dewlap.

38. ANOLIS RUBRIBARBUS, sp. Nov.

A new species recently discovered near Cabo Maisi.

39. ANOLIS QUADRIOCELLIFER, sp. nov.

A new species known only from the Ensenada de Caj6n, extreme western
Cuba.

40. ANOLIS ALLOGUS, sp. nov.

A new species common in the forests of Oriente.

41. Awnozis MestrEI Barbour & Ramsden.
Barbour and Ramsden, Proc. Biol. soc. Wash., 1916, 29, p. 19.

A rather obscure species known from various localities mostly in Pinar
del Rio Province.

! This type U.S. N. M. 5,737 has been found recently. Thomas Barbour, May, 1919.

———o~7~ = oe

CHECK LIST OF THE SPECIES. 89

42. ANoLIS porcATUS Gray.
Gray, Ann. mag. nat. hist., 1840, 5, p. 112; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 293.

A very common species, usually found in parks and gardens, especially
abundant upon Cacti, agaves, and other yuccaceous plants.

43. Norops OPHIOLEPIS (Cope).

Cope, Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1851, p. 211; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 26; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 296.
A not uncommon species in open grassy fields and plains. It lives upon
the ground, over the whole Island.

44. CyYCLURA MACLEAYI Gray.

Gray, Cat. lizards Brit. mus., 1845, p. 190; Cocteau, Sagra’s Hist. Cuba. Rept., 1838, p. 96, pl. 6;
Barbour, loc. cit., p. 297.

Rare upon the mainland of Cuba itself, but not yet so uncommon among
the cays off the coast, especially near Manzanillo.

45, LEIOCEPHALUS CARINATUS Gray.
Gray, Philos. mag., 1827, 2, p. 208; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 165; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 300.

Common about beaches and sea-cliffs. A species characteristic of the area
of the sea-shore plant association.

46. LrrlocEPHALUS (CUBENSIS) Gray.

Gray, Ann. mag. nat. hist., 1840, 5, p. 110.
L. vittatus Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 163; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 300.

A widespread and common species. Abundant in ‘‘guarda rayas” of the
cane-fields and in open plains all over the Island.

47. LmIOCEPHALUS RAVICEPS Cope.
Cope, Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1862, p. 183.

A species known from the original specimens only. Perhaps not Cuban.

48. LrrlocEPHALUS MACROPUS Cope.

Cope, Proe. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1862, p. 184; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 163; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 301.

Apparently confined to the Province of Oriente and to be nowhere abundant.

90 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

49. CELESTUS DE LA SAGRA (Cocteau).
Cocteau, Sagra’s Hist. Cuba. Rept., 1838, p. 180, pl. 20; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 293.

Found throughout the Island, but extremely rare everywhere.

50. CricoLepis TypicA (Gundlach & Peters).

Gundlach und Peters, Monatsb. Akad. wiss. Berlin, 1863, p. 362, pl. —, fig. 1-6; Boulenger, loc. cit.,
p. 329; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 307. =

Known only from a restricted area about Cabo Cruz, and Belig, a few miles

away.

51. AMEIVA AUBERI Cocteau.

Cocteau, Sagra’s Hist. Cuba. Rept.,!1843, p. 74, pl. 6; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 356; Barbour, loc. cit.,
p. 309.

Found in open sunlit places throughout the Island. It is, of course, met
with only upon the ground and is not rare.

52. CADEA BLANOIDES Stejneger.

Stejneger, Proc. Biol. soe. Wash., 1916, 29, p. 85.
Amphisbaena punctata Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 450, pl. 23, fig. 3; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 317.

Gundlach knew little of this and the following species; he says nothing
of their distribution. The only specimens which we have seen came from near
San Diego de los Bafios, near Herradura and Caimito del Guayabal.

53. AMPHISBAENA CUBANA Peters.

Peters, Monatsb. Akad. wiss. Berlin, 1878, p. 780, pl. —, fig. 4; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 446; Barbour,
loc. cit., p. 317.

Peters described this species from specimens sent to him by Gundlach who
could not recall where he took them. The only specimens which we have seen
with definite data came from central ‘‘Soledad”’ near Cienfuegos, from San
Carlos, Guantanamo, La Demajagua, in Oriente, from Havana and the En-
senada de Cochinos.

REPTILIA: SQUAMATA, SERPENTES.

54. TYPHLOPS LUMBRICALIS (Linné).

Linné, Syst. nat. ed. 10, 1758, 1, p. 228; Stejneger, Rept. U.S. N. M. for 1902, 1904, p. 684; Barbour,
loc. cit., p. 322.

A common species found everywhere under stones and decaying vegetable

CHECK LIST OF THE SPECIES. 91

rubbish. It occurs also in Jamaica, Haiti, and Porto Rico, as well as on most
of the Lesser Antilles and the Bahamas.

55. EPICRATES ANGULIFER Bibron.

Bibron, Sagra’s Hist. Cuba. Rept., 1843, p. 215, pl. 25; Boulenger, Cat. snakes Brit. mus., 1893, 1, p. 96;
Barbour, loc. cit., p. 326.

A common and widespread species. Wholly confined to Cuba and the
surrounding cays.
56. TROPIDOPHIS MELANURUS (Schlegel).
Schlegel, Essai phys. serp., 1837, 2, p. 399; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 111; Barbour, loe. cit., p. 327.

Widespread throughout the Island to which it is confined.

57. TROPIDOPHIS PARDALIS (Gundlach).
Gundlach, Archiv. naturg., 1840, 1, p. 359; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 113; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 328.

A species which appears to be more common in the Bahamas than in Cuba.

58. TROPIDOPHIS MACULATUS (Bibron).

Bibron, Sagra’s Hist. Cuba. Rept., 1843, p. 212, pl. 24; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 112; Barbour, loc. cit.,
p. 328.

Not uncommon throughout Cuba. What is probably the same species
occurs also in Haiti, Jamaica, and Navassa.

59. 'TROPIDOPHIS SEMICINCTUS (Gundlach & Peters).

Gundlach und Peters, Monatsb. Acad. wiss. Berlin, 1864, p. 388; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 113; Barbour,
loc. cit., p. 329.

A very rare species which occurs irregularly over the whole Island.

60. TRETANORHINUS VARIABILIS Duméril & Bibron.

Duméril et Bibron, Erp. gén., 1854, 7, p. 349, pl. 80, fig. 4; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 282; Barbour, loc.
cit., p. 330.

Nocturnal, hence seldom seen. Strictly aquatic and found among rocks
and drift material. Confined to Cuba.

61. ALSOPHIS ANGULIFER (Bibron).

Bibron, Sagra’s Hist. Cuba. Rept., 1843, p. 222, pl. 27; Boulenger, loc. cit., 1894, 2, p. 120 (pars);
Barbour, loc. cit., p. 333.

The most common and generally distributed snake in Cuba.

92 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

62. LEIMADOPHIS ANDREAE (Reinhardt & Liitken).

Reinhardt and Liitken, Vid. meedel. nat foren Kjobenh. for 1862, 1863, p. 214; Boulenger, loc. cit.,
p. 140; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 338.

Common throughout the whole Island.

63. ARRHYTON TAENIATUM Giinther.

Giinther, Cat. snakes Brit. mus., 1858, p. 244; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 252; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 341.

The few known specimens have been found at scattered localities through
the Island.

64. ArrHYTON viTTatTuM (Gundlach & Peters).

Gundlach und Peters, Monatsb. Acad. wiss. Berlin, 1861, p. 1002; Boulenger, loc. cit., p. 252; Barbour,
loc. cit., p. 341.

What has been said regarding the previous species applies to this one also.

65. ARRHYTON REDIMITUM (Cope).
Cope, Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1862, p. 81.

A small species of which nothing is known and which is very probably an
abnormal phase of A. taeniatum.

ReptiLiA: TESTUDINATA.

66. PsEUDEMYS PALUSTRIS (Gmelin).
Gmelin, Syst. nat., 1788, 1, p. 1041; Barbour, loc. cit., p. 344, (synonymy).

This tortoise occurs in ponds and streams throughout Cuba, and also in
Jamaica, Haiti, and Porto Rico.

Reptitia: Loricata.

67. CRocopyLus acuTus Cuvier.
Cuvier, Ann. Mus. hist. nat., 1807, 10, p. 55, pl. 1, 2.
Found in the brackish creeks and estuaries in various parts of Cuba, the
surrounding cays, as well as in Florida, Jamaica, Haiti, Mexico, Central America,
and the coast of Equador.

68. CROCODYLUS RHOMBIFER Cuvier.

Cuvier, Ann. Mus. hist. nat., 1807, 10, p. 51; Boulenger, Cat. chelonians Brit. mus., 1889, p. 287; Bar-
bour, loc. cit., p. 345.

Confined to the Cienaga de Zapata, Cuba, and the Cienaga de Lanier,
Island of Pines. Not uncommon in these areas.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 93

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES.

Keys.

The following series of keys has been prepared to facilitate identifications,
but they cannot be expected to prove serviceable invariably. The young of
many species differ greatly from the adults, and, moreover, the adults often
vary inter se in a surprising degree. With Anolis especially the difficulty of
exact diagnosis is very great. The keys therefore should be used in connec-
tion with the detailed descriptions; or, when possible, comparatively with
typical or authentically named specimens.

AMPHIBIA: SALIENTIA.

Key to the Genera.

a! No teeth
b! Skin warty, rough, a large gland on each side of the neck . . Bufo, p. 95
b? Skin smooth, no dermal glandsevident . . .. . . . . . Phyllobates, p. 112
a? Teeth on upper jaw and roof of mouth.
b' Skin of head involved in cranial ossification fs Au ec iene ee hyllns set's)
b? Skin of head free from bony cranium .... . . . . . ~ Eleutherodactylus, p. 102

HYLIDAE.
1. HyLa SEPTENTRIONALIS Boulenger.

Plate 1, fig. 1.

Rana; Rana platanera.

Diagnosis:— A gray, light greenish or brownish tree frog which reaches a
very large size. The skin of the head is completely involved in the cranial
ossification and the surfaces of back, sides, and belly are covered with warts
of varying size. Tips of fingers and toes with enormous sucking pads.

Description:— Adult M.C. Z. 3,713. Cuba: Pinar del Rio; Guane, March,
1915. Thomas Barbour. :

Tongue broad, much broader than long, unemarginate; vomerine teeth
in a single continuous series between the large choanae, the posterior border of
this series being slightly behind the posterior margins of the choanae; nostrils

94 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

near tip of snout and distance from eye slightly greater than its diameter;
fingers with enormous discs, toes with similar discs and completely webbed;
head broad (the breadth increasing with age, in young specimens the head is
longer than broad, in adults the reverse is true); skin of head involved com-
pletely in the cranial ossification; posterior outline of casque openly emargi-
nate (the degree of emargination varies greatly with age and in different
specimens); snout rounded; loreal region oblique, concave; canthus rostralis
strongly marked; crown distinctly concave (less concave or almost flat in half-
grown and young specimens); interorbital space nearly three times as broad
as the upper eyelid; tympanum large and distinct, at least two thirds the
diameter of the eye; the hind limb being adpressed to the body the tibiotarsal
articulation reaches the eye; upper surfaces strongly tubercular, lower surfaces
coarsely granular, a fold above the tympanum; male with external vocal sacs
and blackish rugosities on the inner side of the first finger (during the nuptial
season only).

Colour (in life):— Grayish varying to whitish, greenish or brownish, vari-
ously spotted and striped. Hinder side of thighs reticulated with black.

Dimensions: — Tip of snout to vent 90 mm.
Width of head 35 mm.
Diameter of eye 9.5 mm.
Diameter of tympanum 7.5 mm.
Fore limb from axilla 54 mm.
Hind limb from vent 145 mm.
Vent to heel 88 mm.

The big tree frog is found throughout the entire Island, and is most abundant
everywhere in the groves of banana trees in the lowlands. It is often found
about the stone cisterns so widely used in Cuba, and its call, like the noise made
when a rope is drawn through an unoiled block, is frequently heard on rainy
evenings and even in the day time during a shower. The species is rare or
absent in the deep forest, being found, however, about cultivated plantations
at a considerable altitude.

Gundlach and other naturalists believed that there were three species of
Hyla found in Cuba, but the type of Hyla wrightii Cope, which has been exam-
ined in the U. 8. N. M., proves to be a synonym of Hyla septentrionalis. The
same is beyond doubt true of Hyla insulsa Cope, although the type has been
lost.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 95

BUFONIDAR.

Key to the Species of Bufo.

a! Top of head hard and bony, with high crests bounding a deep depression
INUNGET TOO OVO), ale lal eee lol oo uk oe molec Gg On ech SSemc as

a? Top of head flat or concave, with or without conspicuous upstanding crests.
b' Skin of head ossified with the cranium, crests present but not high,

empusus, p. 100

two or three bony knobs in canthal and supraorbital regions. . . . . pellacephalus, p. 98
b? Head without crests
c! Toesnearlyfullywebbed. . . . .... =... =. + + « (longinasus, p. 95
ce Toes with butatraceofweb ......... =... . ramsdeni, p. 96

2. Buro LONGINASUS Stejneger.
Plate 13, fig. 1.
Palmer’s Toad.

Diagnosis:— A small toad having no cranial bony ridges; first finger shorter
than second; toes nearly fully webbed; skin smooth, pustulous, but without
asperities; snout conical, projecting, pointed, with the nostrils near the tip,
parotoids enormous, their length almost equalling their distance from the groin.

Description:— Tyrer. Adult o U. 8S. N. M. 27,419. Cuba: Pinar del
Rio City, near El Guamd, 9 March, 1900. William Palmer and J. H. Riley.

“Head and body depressed, nearly flat above; snout concave along median line, coni-
cal, projecting, pointed; nostrils near the tip of snout and close together; canthus rostralis
rounded; interorbital width much greater than width of upper eyelid; tympanum indis-
tinct, about half the diameter of the eye; first finger shorter than second, with a pad of dark
brown nuptial asperities on top and side of basal portion; tips of fingers and toes slightly
swollen; toes nearly fully webbed; subarticular tubercles well developed, double; inner
metatarsal tubercle moderate, not prominent, outer conical; a tarsal fold, the distal end of
which resembles the inner metatarsal tubercle; tibio-tarsal articulation of hind leg extended
forward along the side of the body, reaches halfway between insertion of fore leg and tym-
panum; skin above smooth with irregular smooth, distinctly pitted pustules separated pos-
teriorly and on sides by anastomosing furrows; parotoids enormous, their length almost
equaling their distance from the groin, flat, descending on sides below the level of the tym-
panum, deeply pitted; throat longitudinally wrinkled on breast and belly, and underside of
femurs coarsely granulated. Color (in alcohol) above, dark purplish maroon; underneath,
including the upper lip, a narrow space above the insertion of the arm, and the internal half
of the upper side of hands and feet white; a few dark purplish brown specks on lips, chest,
and tibia and a longitudinal mark of the same color in front of insertion of fore legs. ‘Total
length, tip of snout to vent, 25.5 mm....Length of hind limb from vent to tip of longest
toe 32 mm.” STEJNEGER, Proc. U. S. N. M., 1905, 28, p. 765-767.

96 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

So far this species is known from the type, which was captured sitting
upon a mossy stone in a small brook, at dusk on a March evening in 1900.
Mr. Palmer was kind enough to give a minute description of just how he found
the spot where this treasure was caught. A careful search at that locality
failed to reveal the species, and it is probably one of those curious forms which
make but a periodical appearance and remain hidden during long intervals.
Judging from what we know of its ally, Bufo ramsdeni Barbour, from the moun-
tains near Guantanamo, it is probable that the species is extremely local in its
distribution. For the benefit of those who may collect in Cuba, and have an
opportunity to search again at the type-locality for this species, it may be stated
that El Guama, with the accent strongly on the last syllable, is not a town or
village, as would appear from the many labels of the Palmer and Riley collec-
tion, and the name is not to be found on any map of Cuba which we have con-
sulted. El Guamd is named from a useful tree, from the inner bast of which a
strong rope may be readily twisted. A few miles to the north of the city of Pinar
del Rio, one finds a stream by this name, which increases in size and finally
becomes Rio Guama, which flows through the city of Pinar del Rio itself, and
runs southward, emptying into the Gulf of Batabané at Coloma. On the bank
of the upper reaches of the stream there is a small farm and a country store,
which, as is common with such properties in Cuba, bear a distinctive name.
This is El Guamdé. According to a recent rumor the finca has been abandoned,
and it is not unlikely that the store may move, in which case the type-locality
of Bufo longinasus will be very difficult to identify.

3. Buro RAMSDENI Barbour.

Plate 1, fig. 2.
Ramsden’s Toad.

Diagnosis:— A small toad having no cranial ridges; first finger shorter than
second: which is very long; toes with but a trace of web; skin smooth with
scattered asperities; snout conical, projecting, pointed, with the nostrils near
the tip; parotoids very large.

Description:— Typr. Adult 9 M. C. Z. 3,212. Cuba: Guantanamo,
Monte Libano, Los Hondones. C. T. Ramsden.

Head and body depressed; snout concave along median line, projected
and rather pointed; canthus rostralis rounded; interorbital space much wider

SN vee

eo

EE Lr eC

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 97

than upper eyelid; tympanum scarcely visible; first finger shorter than second;
tips of fingers and toes not dilated and hardly swollen at all; fingers slender,
longer than in B. longinasus; toes slightly webbed; subarticular tubercles large,
single; both metatarsal tubercles well developed; a tarsal fold; tibiotarsal
articulation of adpressed hind limb reaches midway between insertion of fore
limb and tympanic region; skin itself smooth, with small wrinkles and many
tubercles arranged in more or less regular longitudinal series; parotoids greatly
developed as in Bufo longinasus.

Colour (in alcohol): — Above almost black, a conspicuous light stripe from
snout to vent, this stripe is extended laterally on the eyelids and thus widens to
a rhomb-like figure on the head. The light stripe is bordered on each side by
a narrow band of deep velvety black. Below, the throat is mahogany-brown,
the fore part of the chest and angles of the jaws deep brown; the belly is white,
profusely spotted and streaked with dark brown, as are also the lips and upper
surfaces of the limbs.

Dimensions: — Tip of snout to vent 21. mm.
Width of head 9. mm.
Fore limb from axilla 11.2 mm.
Hind limb from vent 25.2 mm.

Vent to heel 14.5 mm.

When Bufo ramsdeni was described only the type, a female, was known,
while of B. longinasus the type also was unique and a male. There was nat-
urally on our part a slight feeling that possibly these might represent the oppo-
site sexes of a species in which the sexual dimorphism was much greater than
usual. Happily we can now state definitely that this is not the case, since
careful collecting at Los Hondones has revealed three other specimens, an adult
and two young males. The adult pair are of the same size, about 30-35 mm.
from snout to vent. The male agrees very closely with the female described
in all essential characters, except colouration. This is quite different, being
uniform chocolate on all the upper surfaces, while the ventral surfaces are like
the female.

All of these examples, the only ones found, were caught in a deep forest,
in a very wet area on the road from Guantanamo to Los Hondones, and some
fifteen miles north of Guantanamo. Here the road, only about five feet wide,
passes between two large moss covered boulders called ‘Las Comadres.’’ On

each occasion when toads were found it had been raining heavily and the ground

98 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

was temporarily flooded. They appear during the heavy showers, and for a
short while afterwards remain hopping about with Eleutherodactylus dimidiatus.
The fact that careful collecting in similar stations on the other mountains about
Guantanamo, as well as in very many different localities in all parts of Cuba,
makes it seem probable that this species may be represented by this small iso-
lated colony at Los Hondones alone. Its ally, and it seems to have no other
very close relative anywhere, occurs far away, near Pinar del Rio. These two
groups probably represent the remnants, differentiated during their long isola-
tion, of some style of Bufo which once ranged more widely over the island.
For some reason unable to survive, perhaps because of coming into competi-
tion with more successful conquerors or from being specially preyed upon by
natural enemies, it is now on the very verge of disappearance. Naturalists of '
the present day are witnesses to this phenomenon quite often in the West Indies;
we need only recall the case of Cricolepis and Stejneger’s remarkable account
of Bufo lemur in Porto Rico (Ann. rept. U. S. N. M. for 1902, 1904, p. 573),
or Peters’s finding Bufo turpis in Virgin Gorda (cf. Barbour, Proc. Biol. soc.
Wash., 1917, 30, p. 102). Among mammals the status of Solenodon cubanus
presents a perfectly comparable example.

4. Buro PELTACEPHALUS Tschudi.

Plate 13, fig. 2.
Sapo; Sapo comun.

Diagnosis: — The largest Antillean toad may be distinguished at once
from the three other Cuban species by the low and widely separated supra-
orbital crests and by the fact that the canthal crest (from eye to nostril) ends
in one or more very prominent knobs.

Description:— Adult M. C. Z. 3,724. Cuba: Pinar del Rio; Guane, March,
1915. Thomas Barbour.

Skin of head completely involved in cranial ossification; crown with ridges
which are not especially prominent, although well defined; a canthal not con-
fluent with the supraorbital and ending in one or more prominent knobs; a
supraorbital also ending in a knob anteriorly, and forming a right angle with
the postorbital ridge; a prominent orbitotympanic ridge; snout short, bluntly
rounded; ‘nterorbital space very broad, almost twice as broad as an upper
eyelid; tympanum distinct about half the diameter of the eye; first finger

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 99

about equal to second; toes half webbed; subarticular tubercles single; two
moderate metatarsal tubercles; a short tarsal fold; the hind limb being carried
forward along the body the tarsometatarsal articulation reaches the angle of
the mouth; upper surfaces with small warts of very even size; parotoids promi-
nent, elliptical, obliquely placed; male with a subgular vocal sac.

Colour (in life): — Uniform brown varying, darker or lighter as the case

may be, to a dirty yellow with brown blotches, the lower surfaces uniformly

pale.
Dimensions: — Tip of snout to vent 111 mm.
Tip of snout to posterior edge of tympanum 36 mm.
Greatest width of head 48.5 mm.
Fore leg from axilla 53 mm.
Hind leg from vent 130 mm.

The big common Sapo of Cuba is found very widely distributed throughout
the Island. It is, however, by no means invariably possible to secure speci-
mens. The species is strictly nocturnal and is irregular in its appearance.
On hillsides where there are scattered rocks and where there is some shade
Bufo peltacephalus is often abundant; also about country towns, living in the
mouths of the drains of tile made to carry off the rush of water which falls
during the torrential showers of the rainy season. As many as five or six of
these toads have been found together under the trunk of a fallen Barragona
Palm where they had excavated a large cavity for themselves. While they do
not burrow like Bufo empusus they often prepare a large chamber with a tunnel
entrance beneath the stone or log where they may have taken up abode. Its
voice, frequently heard all night after a shower of warm rain, is loud and sounds
like an ill-tuned guitar. When one approaches the toad it hushes at once and
will not sing again while one remains close at hand. Of its breeding habits
little is known; the young are common and may be found during most of the
year. Gundlach in his Erpetologia Cubana (1880, p. 83) gives a simple
and quite fascinating bit of folk lore. He says that the peasants believe
that a toad may cure erysipelas as follows:—a toad is rubbed over the
affected regions of a victim of erysipelas and then the toad is to be carried
off and hung up. As the toad dies the disease will disappear; should the toad
escape the result is not so sure. We might observe by way of explanation that
hanged toads take a long time to die and in Cuba victims of erysipelas usually
recover. This belief with many others persists to the present time. As with

100 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

so many of the larger species of Bufo the white discharge from the parotoid
glands is copious and powerful, and experience has taught both men and dogs
of its highly venomous nature.

The young are found in bands along the Guarda Rayas of the Guantanamo
cane fields in the spring, especially if it has been a rainy one. They develop
in the drainage ditches of the cane-fields and are beautifully marked with
splashes of rich dark green on the brown.

There is a belief among the country folk, in many parts of Cuba, that the
big toad cannot live in the woods where the Cuban Solitaire (Myadestes eliza-
beth (Lembeye)) is found. For upon hearing the heavenly flute-like strains of
these glorious peerless songsters, the toads try to imitate them with their gut-
tural croakings so strenuously that their attempts end fatally. As a matter of
fact, however, the Bufo is not found in the deep woods about Guantanamo
where the Myadestes abounds, although it occurs plentifully about the Sierra
de Paso Real, Sierra de Guane, and in the valley of Luis Lazo where Solitaires
are very often to be heard; higher up to be sure than the toads, but well

within hearing.

5. Buro empusus (Cope).
Plate 1, fig. 3.
Sapo de concha; Guasdbalo.

Diagnosis:— A rather small toad living in burrows, in large colonies, hay-
ing the whole head extremely hard and bony, the cephalic crests very prominent
and the lip margin hard and modified for digging.

Description:— Adult M. C. Z. 2,833. Cuba: Pinar del Rio; Herradura,
March, 1910. Thomas Barbour.

Top of head bony, with enormous crests, enclosing a deep hollow between
the orbits, the canthal crests meet anterior to the nostrils and form a V, then
merge with the enormous supraorbital crests; the anteorbital crest is likewise
prominent, the supratympanic crest is far less prominent and ends in a small
knob; two crests on the occiput converge but do not meet, they are continuous
with supraorbitals and are composed of high, flat tubercles partly confluent;
snout rather depressed,. the labial margin produced into a hard flange extending
around the snout; tympanum elliptical, erect, its greatest diameter scarcely
one half that of the eye; parotoid gland small, long, simply the anterior elabora-

‘rows

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 101

tion of a lateral series of enlarged warts; first fingers slightly shorter than second;
toes less than half webbed; subarticular tubercles single; two very well-devel-
oped metatarsal tubercles; a tarsal fold; back and sides covered with numerous
warts, varying greatly in size, some of the lateral warts slightly spinose, others
smooth; lower surface with smaller warts; upper surface of hands and feet
almost smooth.

Colour (in life): — Variegated brown with dark, almost black streaks and
spots; a dirty yellow streak on the parotoid and along the lateral series of
enlarged warts; elsewhere on the sides scattered spots of dull yellow; lower

surfaces paler yellowish.

Dimensions: — Tip of snout to vent 69 mm.
Tip of snout to posterior edge of tympanum 20 mm.
Greatest width of head 24.5 mm.
Fore leg from axilla 33 mm.
Hind leg from vent 64 mm.

Bufo empusus belongs to a small and very peculiar group of toads. It is
most closely related to Bufo gutturosus Latreille from Haiti, less closely to Bufo
lemur Cope from Porto Rico and Bufo turpis Barbour of Virgin Gorda. The
species from Haiti and Porto Rico were long confounded with each other but are
really very distinct. Bufo lemur reaches a much greater size than the Haitian
Sapo de concha, which in turn is larger than B. empusus. This species has not
been observed in Oriente and it is apparently entirely confined to western Cuba
where terrain suitable to its peculiar habits may be found. The related toads
of Haiti and Porto Rico have apparently more or less the habits usual to species
of Bufo. The following account records the discovery of a colony of the toads
near Herradura in the flat plains region of eastern Pinar del Rio Province. The
great number of adults found in the colony were remarkably uniform in size,
the measurements given being typical.

“Gundlach found this species, so rare in collections, rather common locally in the
Cienaga de Zapata, in the jurisdiction of Colon, in the savannas near Los Ciegos, and Los
Palacios in the Vuelto Abajo region of the Province of Pinar del Rio. I was able to obtain
a splendid series in some plains about five miles northeast of Herradura, also in the Province
of Pinar del Rio. I should never have learned of their existence had it not been for the aid
given me by an intelligent young Cuban, Sr. Lucio Alfonso. In response to my inquiry
regarding the occurrence of the “Sapo de Concha,” he took me to an upland clayey pasture
’ near by, which had recently been burned over. Scattered thickly over this whole area were
the mouths of a great number of small burrows. These were evidently of two sorts, for the
openings of some were carefully rimmed with smoothly patted clay, while the others were

102 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

rough and looked unfinished. Those with the rims each contained a Bufo empusus. The
tube-like burrow was perfectly cylindrical and from seven to ten inches deep. The toad
which always looked larger than the diameter of the burrow, was to be found in a small
chamber at the bottom, its curious hornlike, shelly, hea forming an operculum which closed
the burrow accurately. To accomplish this closing most advantageously, the toad was
sometimes found resting on its side or back. The small individuals were frequently observed
near the surface, their little heads just fillmg the mouth of the tubes. Only one or two
adults were observed near the surface. The other burrows spoken of were inhabited by
Tarantulas, which were excessively common.

Gundlach says, and he is confirmed by what the country folk told me, that these toads
come forth to sing in unison on warm nights after a rain. There is no apparent rule to guide
their appearance and they are not heard during many apparently favorable nights. The
people told me that they had never met them outside their burrows, probably because they
had not visited this particular field by night. From what I have heard, I am sure this species
always occurs in these colonies in areas where the soil is suitable for making their burrows.”
Barsour, Mem. M. C. Z., 1914, 44, p. 242, 243.

LEPTODACTYLIDAR.

Key to the Species of Eleutherodactylus.

al Belly coarsely granular
b! Toes with large terminal dilatations . ...... =. =. =. +. . auriculatus, p. 109
b? Toes without large terminal dilatations . . . .. . =. =. =. =. . varians, p. 108
a? Belly smooth, wholly or at least in the centre.
c! A distinct dorsolateral fold.

d! Skin of back finely warty. ....: .. =.=. . «= «+ €uneatus,p. 10D
d2i-Skin' of backismooth! "e777 ey eee) een LOIN OTS ape Oe
ce No dorsolateral fold.
e! Skin of back smooth, or finely granular . . . . . . ricordii, p. 102
e? Skin of back everywhere strongly plicate and warty . . plicatus, p. 107

6. ELEUTHERODACTYLUS RICORDII (Duméril & Bibron).

Plate 13, fig. 3-5.
Ranita; Ventorilla; Campanilla.

Diagnosis:— A small frog with granular margin and smooth midbelly area,
a small tympanum and a very short soled foot. A ventral sucking disc is
present and the tips of the fingers and toes are scarcely if at all dilated.

Description:— Adult M. C. Z. 2,838. Cuba: Havana, Botanical Gardens,
February, 1910. Thomas Barbour.

Tongue large, oval, free and entire behind; vomerine teeth in two long
curved, posteriorly converging series almost meeting on the median line and
immediately behind the small, round choanae; head not wider than body;
snout but very slightly declivous; nostril much nearer tip of snout than eye;

ve

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 103

interorbital space distinctly wider than upper eyelid; tympanum round, dis-
tinct but only about half, or a little less, than the diameter of the eye; its dis-
tance from the eye less than its own diameter; fingers without dises, the first
and second equal in length; toes with almost no apical expansion, first toe
much shorter than second; subarticular tubercles well developed, a few scattered
tubercles upon the short soles; a well-developed inner and outer metatarsal
tubercle; no tarsal fold; the hind limb being carried forward the tibiotarsal
articulation reaches the posterior border of the eye; bent vertically to the axis
of the body the heels fail to meet; skin above generally smooth but with a good
many scattered small warts; throat and anterior aspects of thighs smooth;
belly coarsely but not conspicuously granular about the margin, smooth in the
centre, hinder aspect of thighs granular; a ventral discoidal fold.

Colour (in life): — Uniform dark brown flecked with white to ashy gray,
marbled with darker. The variation in colour is almost limitless.

Dimensions: — Tip of snout to vent 24 mm.
Width of head 8.5 mm.
Diameter of eye 2.2 mm.
Diameter of tympanum about 1 mm.
Fore limb from axilla 15 mm.
Hind limb from vent 34 mm.
Vent to heel 18 mm.

The species was not very satisfactorily described by Duméril and Bibron,
but nevertheless this is beyond doubt the one which they named. It has been
found in many parts of Cuba, except in eastern Oriente, but seems to be most
abundant in central and western Cuba. It is terrestrial, found under rocks,
decaying vegetation, especially about the shores of sluggish brooks. Occasion-
ally it reaches a large size, or rather we also refer to this species, but with some
hesitation, a few very large examples mostly from the Province of Santa Clara.
They measure nearly 40 mm. from snout to vent. This is probably the most
common species which calls at night; its voice like a tiny bell, is heard coming
sometimes from thousands of hidden throats in the trash of the cane-fields,
after a shower, from the woods and thickets and even from quiet spots in
cultivated gardens. They are shy and stop singing at once if one approaches.

In the Botanical Garden at Havana this little frog is common as well as
in the yards of the houses in many cities and towns. It seems to be the only
species of the genus which has associated itself so closely with the habitations

of man.

104 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

7. ELEUTHERODACTYLUS DIMIDIATUS (Cope).
Plate 13, fig. 6-8.
Ranita; Ventorilla; Campanilla.

Diagnosis:— A small woodland frog, having a faint dorsolateral fold and
perfectly smooth skin on the back. There is almost always at least a trace of
a light middorsal stripe, forking over the vent and passing down the back of
each thigh. There is a dark stripe on the tympanic region and a black spot
on each side near the sacral region.

Description:— Adult M. C. Z. 3,045. Cuba: Oriente; Jiguanf, Los Negros
(Sierra Maestra Mts.), March, 19138. Thomas Barbour.

Tongue broad, oval, free and unnotched behind; vomerine teeth in two
long curved series a short distance behind the choanae, the series separated
by a very narrow median interspace, the series extend to the line of the maxil-
lae; nostrils near tip of snout, their distance from eye equal to its diameter;
upper eyelid distinctly narrower than interorbital space; tympanum round,
rather large, about equal to two thirds of the diameter of the orbit; fingers
without dises, first finger very slightly longer than second; toes with very small
scarcely discernible discs; tip of first toe not quite reaching base of second;
two very inconspicuous metatarsal tubercles; soles smooth; a faintly indicated
tarsal fold; the bent limbs being pressed along the side, knee and elbow overlap
slightly; with the adpressed hind limb the tibiotarsal articulation extends
slightly beyond the tip of the snout; the hind limbs being placed vertically
to the axis of the body the heels overlap considerably; skin above perfectly
smooth, a very fine glandular dorsolateral fold along each side; skin of throat,
belly, and limbs smooth; belly without modified discoidal area.

Colour (in life): — Varying shades of slate or gray. Hind limbs lighter,
anterior aspects of thighs often yellowish or with a faint tinge of pink. A broad
dark stripe extends along the snout over the tympanic area to behind the in-
sertion of the fore limb. Upon each side on the lumbar or sacral region there
is a conspicuous black spot. A light middorsal line which forks above the
vent and passes along the hinder side of each thigh is very characteristic of the

species and is almost invariably present.

Dimensions:— Tip of snout to vent 32 mm.
Width of head 11 mm.
Diameter of eye 3 mm.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 105

Diameter of tympanum 2 mm.
Fore leg from axilla 15 mm.
Hind leg from vent 46 mm.
Vent to heel 5.5 mm.

This beautiful little frog is usually found in damp woodlands. It was
first described from eastern Cuba (doubtless Monte Verde) having been col-
lected by Charles Wright. We believe that it is confined to the Province of
Oriente, for it has been found at Monte Libano and Yateras near Guantanamo
(Ramsden) at Cayo del Rey near Alto Cedro (Torre) and at several localities
in the Sierra Maestra (Barbour). As we have indicated, this species until
recently appeared rare and is usually only found under stones or decaying
vegetable matter along the banks of some mountain stream. Recent observa-
tions of the junior author (Ramsden) show that this frog is really not rare in the
mountain ranges to the north of Guantanamo. Indeed one finds it in abun-
dance and inall sizes, at a place called San Felipe on Monte Toro in deep forest
when the ‘‘Palma Juta” grows. Here the palm is called ‘Palma juta”’ and the
places where it grows abundantly are known locally as “Jutales.”

8. ELEUTHERODACTYLUS CUNEATUS (Cope).
Plate 13, fig. 9-11.
Rania.

Diagnosis:— A beautiful little frog usually gray with a white lateral stripe,
dark spots in the groin and bright pink thighs. The skin of the belly is modified
into a disc-like organ of adhesion. There is a prominent glandular dorsolateral
fold and the skin of the back is rough.

Description:— Adult M. C. Z. 3,882. Cuba: Oriente; La Patana near
Baracoa. V. J. Rodriguez.

Tongue rather broad, oval, very slightly nicked behind; vomerine teeth
in two long curved series posterior but adjacent to the choanae, extending later-
ally to above the maxillae and separated mesially by a very narrow interspace;
nostril almost at tip of snout, its distance from the eye about equalling its
diameter; upper eyelid much narrower than interorbital space, tympanum
rather large, round, with a prominent glandular supratympanic fold, its diame-
ter rather less than two thirds the diameter of the eye, its distance from the eye

106 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

equal to about one half its diameter; fingers without.dises, first finger equalling
second in length; toes without discs; tip of first toe reaching well beyond the
large second subarticular tubercle of the second toe; two well-developed meta-
tarsal tubercles, the inner the larger; soles with many small scattered tuber-
cles, subarticular tubercles large; no tarsal fold; the bent limb being adpressed
along the side, knee and elbow overlap considerably; the hind limb being
adpressed the tibiotarsal articulation reaches about two thirds of the distance
between eye and nostril; the hind limbs being placed vertically to the axis of
the body, the heels overlap considerably; skin above rather coarsely granular,
a fine middorsal glandular line and a well-developed glandular dorsolateral
fold; throat and belly smooth; posterior aspect of thighs rather coarsely granu-
lar; belly with a strongly marked discoidal fold.

Colour (in life): — Varied brown with darker blotches, usually a dark
cross-bar between the eyes and along the canthal and tympanic regions. Usu-
ally a conspicuous lumbar spot and two broad, pale dorsolateral stripes. The
anterior aspect of thighs and the posterior aspects of the tibial regions are
usually bright coral-pink, especially brilliant in the males.

Dimensions: — Tip of snout to vent 41 mm.
Width of head | 19 mm.
Diameter of eye 5 mm.
Diameter of tympanum 3.25 mm.
Fore limb from axilla 23.5 mm.
Hind limb from vent .63 mm.
Vent to heel 37 mm.

Eleutherodactylus cuneatus is the largest member of its genus found in Cuba;
it is also by no means common although it ranges widely. Like EH. dimidiatus,
it was first described from Wright’s collection made in eastern Oriente; it
occurs also on Monte Libano and at Bayate (Ramsden), near Santiago (Wirt
Robinson) and in the Sierra Maestra, at Soledad near Cienfuegos and in the
Sierra de Guane in western Pinar del Rio (Barbour). The specimen described
and measured from near Baracoa is the largest we have ever seen. It is a wood-
land species and one which appears to be found mostly in the damper moun-

tainous: forests.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 107

9. ELEUTHERODACTYLUS PLICATUS- Barbour.

Plate 6, fig. 1.
Ventorilla or Ranita.

Diagnosis:— A small terrestrial frog with the dorsal surface strongly pli-
cate or rugose; its colour is uniform olive-brown above with the lower surfaces
and especially the thighs pink.

Description:— Tyrr. Adult M. C. Z. 3,056. Cuba: Guantanamo, Monte
Libano, La Union, 23 March, 1913. CC. T. Ramsden.

Tongue medium, oval, entire behind; vomerine teeth in two long series
which converge posteriorly and almost meet at median line, extending laterally
to but very little beyond the choanae which are situated nearer the median line
than in other species; head broad and rounded; snout only slightly declivous;
nostril much nearer the tip of the snout than eye; upper eyelids slightly less
wide than interorbital space; tympanum medium size and round, about one
half the diameter of the eye; its distance from the latter equal to its own diam-
eter; fingers with exceedingly small discs, the first and second fingers much
shorter than second; subarticular tubercles well developed; no marked plantar
tubercles; a rather small inner and outer metatarsal tubercle; a feebly developed
tarsal fold which in the type and paratype may be due to shrinkage; hind limb
being bent forward along the body the heel reaches well beyond the tip of snout,
bent vertically to the axis of the body the heels overlap considerably; skin
above extremely rugose and plicate; throat, chest, and anterior aspect of thighs
perfectly smooth, belly and posterior femoral aspects finely granular.

Colour (in fresh specimen): — Almost uniform dark olive-brown above,
the lower surfaces pinkish almost roseate; the fronts of the thighs a fine brilliant
pink, throat with a few dark dots.

Dimensions: — Tip of snout to vent 22 mm.
Width of head 10 mm.
Diameter of eye 3 mm.
Diameter of tympanum 1.5 mm.
Fore limb from axilla 16 mm.
Hind limb from vent 41 mm.
Vent to heel 27 mm.

A second specimen (M. C. Z. 3,119) shows all the characters of the type
except that the brown of the upper surface is somewhat variegated or marbled

108 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

with lighter and darker; another in the private collection of the junior author
is similar.

Eleutherodactylus plicatus is only known from a small series all secured
upon Monte Libano near Guantanamo; taken under stones and debris together
with H. dimidiatus, E. ricordii, and Phyllobates limbatus along brooks in deep
woods, at La Union, where the road from San Fernando, Yateras, running
west meets the highway from Guantanamo to Sagua de Tanamo; it has never
been found elsewhere. In its general appearance it recalls H#. cuneatus, but
differs strikingly from that species in having a peculiarly broad, rounded head
and in a remarkably rugose dorsum.

10. ELEUTHERODACTYLUS VARIANS (Gundlach & Peters).
Plate 13, fig. 12-14.
Ranta; Ventorilla; Campanilla.

Diagnosis:— A very small terrestrial frog, with no digital dilations and
having a coarsely granular belly. The tympanum is large, about two thirds as
large as the eye, the rows of teeth on the palate being rather short, and straight
but directed so as to converge slightly posteriorly.

Description:— Young M. C. Z. 3,721. Cuba: Valley of Luis Lazo, Janu-
ary, 1917. Thomas Barbour.

Tongue, oval, narrow and entire behind; vomerine teeth in two rather
short, straight series, the outer extremity of each series is some little distance
behind but not outside (laterad) the corresponding choana, the series slants
slightly posteriorly and converges with its fellow, they are separated by a con-
siderable interspace; head broad and rounded, wider than the body; snout
flat, scarcely declivous; interorbital space distinctly wider than an upper eye-
lid; tympanum large, round, about two thirds the diameter of the eye, its
distance from the eye distinctly less than its own diameter; discs on fingers
not developed, first finger not quite as long as second; first toe much shorter
than second; subarticular tubercles poorly developed, a number of small scat-
tered plantar tubercles; a very feeble inner and outer metatarsal tubercle; no
tarsal fold; the hind limb being carried forward along the body the tibiotarsal
articulation reaches the anterior border of the eye, bent vertically to the axis
of the body the heels meet; skin above coarsely granular; belly and hinder
aspect of thighs coarsely granular; a faintly indicated ventral discoidal fold.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 109

Colour (in fresh specimen): — Brown, with many lighter cross-streaks on
nape and body. Belly white, throat and lower side of legs dusky brown.

Dimensions: — Tip of snout to vent 16.5 mm.
Width of head 7 mm.
Diameter of eye 2mm.
Diameter of tympanum 1.6 mm.
Fore limb from axilla 11 mm.
Hind limb from vent 25 mm.
Vent to heel 14 mm.

Gundlach does not mention exactly whence the types came but stating
that the species lives in the woods, is rarely found in cultivated regions or near
towns and that its voice is that of a tiny bell which while faint is so penetrating
that it may be heard a great distance. The voice it has in common with the
other terrestrial Cuban Eleutherodactyli.

During January, 1917, the senior author took twenty-five young examples
which undoubtedly belong to this species, in the decaying vegetable trash of
an “hoyo” in the Sierra at Luis Lazo, which had many years ago been planted
to coffee. The little frogs were excessively active and reminded one of nothing
so much as crickets. Their colouration was uniform and peculiar in consisting
of a dark brown upper surface crossed by eight or ten narrow transverse bands
of lighter brown, giving a decidedly zebra-like effect. The lower side of the
belly was white but the throat and lower surfaces of legs were dusky brown.

Curiously enough in all our excursions we had never previously taken this
frog. A careful reéxamination of the series from Soledad recorded as FE. varians
(Mem. M. C. Z., 1914, 44, p. 245) makes it quite clear that they were really
the young of FE. ricordii. Stejneger (Proc. U. 8. N. M., 1917, 53, p. 263) shows
that Palmer and Riley took it at Mariel, San Diego de los Bafios, and at El
Guama.

11. ELmUTHERODACTYLUS AURICULATUS (Cope).
Plate 6, fig. 2, 3.

Ranita de los Curujéyes.

Diagnosis:— A small frog with granular belly, vomerine teeth in two short
straight series not extending laterally beyond the choanae, nostrils very near
tip of snout and well-developed dises on fingers and toes.

110 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

Description:— Adult M. C. Z. 3,117. Cuba: Guantanamo, Monte Libano,
El Peri, 1914. C. T. Ramsden.

Tongue narrow, oval, slightly nicked behind; vomerine teeth in two short
groups, which are oblique and a short distance behind the choanae, not extend-
ing beyond the latter laterally and converging backward near the median line,
the interval between the groups about equal to the distance from the choanae;
nostrils very near tip of snout, their distance from the eye equalling its diameter;
upper eyelids narrower than interorbital space; tympanum rather small, about
one half the diameter of the eye, its distance from the eye a little less than its
diameter; fingers with well-developed discs, first finger equalling second in
length; discs of fourth and fifth toes equalling those of fingers, others slightly
smaller; tip of first toe reaching the base of the dise of the second; two incon-
spicuous metatarsal tubercles; soles smooth except for a very few undeveloped
tubercles; no tarsal fold; the bent limbs being pressed along the side, knee
and elbow overlap; hind limb being extended along the side of the body, the
heel reaches the anterior border of the eye; hind limbs being placed vertically
to the axis of the body, the heels overlap considerably; skin above with a very
few scattered granules on back and sides, a very fine, scarcely perceptible mid-
dorsal glandular ridge; belly and posterior aspect of thighs strongly granular;
throat and anterior aspect of thighs smooth; belly without a modified discoidal
area.

Colour (in aleohol) :— Uniform brown above, lighter beneath.

Dimensions: — Tip of snout to vent 29 mm.
Width of head 4.2 mm.
Diameter of eye 3.8 mm.
Diameter of tympanum 1.9 mm.
Fore limb from axilla 16.5 mm.
Hind limb from vent 45.5 mm.
Vent to heel 24.5 mm.

As Stejneger has well said in his Herpetology of Porto Rico (p. 585) the
variations in colour seen in this frog are simply endless. A specimen taken at
the Sierra de Guane in March 1915 is dark slaty above with a conspicuous
white middorsal line, with dark and light spots and small blotches upon throat
and sides. It is therefore useless to dwell upon the colouration of a creature
which probably not only varies individually almost infinitely, but each indi-
vidual itself may also vary from time to time.

o seat ht ney

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 111

The history of our knowledge of this species is rather peculiar. It was
first found by the botanist Charles Wright probably at Monte Verde, whence
came most, if not all, of his specimens which were described by Cope as from
“Eastern Cyba.” The species subsequently remained unknown in Cuba for
many years. In the meanwhile Stejneger in his Herpetology of Porto Rico
(p. 583 et seq.) had shown that what had for a long time been called martini-
censis in Porto Rico was really Cope’s auriculatus and since then it has been
recorded from Haiti. In 1914 one of us (Ramsden) found it again in the moun-
tains about Guantanamo where it appears to be confined to the “curujéyes”

or epiphytic bromeliaceous plants —at any rate there; elsewhere it seems very

rare in Cuba. In 1915, nevertheless, a typical example, not fully adult, however,
was taken under a decaying log near where the Rio Cuyaguateje passes by the
foot of the Sierra de Guane, in western Cuba (Barbour).

Regarding the habits of this little frog, which curiously enough is exces-
sively abundant in Porto Rico, we cannot do better than to quote Stejneger
who says: —

“Although by no means confined to living on or among the trees this species probably
deserves the name of tree toad more than any of the other species of the genus inhabiting
these islands. A favorite place of concealment during the day we found to be the axils of the
leaves of palms and liliaceous plants, but it was also caught under the bark of trees, fallen
logs, stones, or in crevices in the rocks, clay banks, or in holes in trees.

“They keep usually quiet during the day, but toward dusk they come out from their
hiding places, and the island then begins to resound with their call notes. These, I believe
to be different in the adults and the young. The former utter a loud and rather sonorous
6-ki’-ki’-ki’, or simply a persistently repeated 6-ki’, 6-ki.... The chorus of soft “pit, pit, pit”
around our camp in the evening I attributed to these young ones.

“Living specimens placed in a glass jar adhere to the sides chiefly by their digital pads
or disks. The belly is flattened against the glass, but there is apparently no special adhesive
area.

“The reproduction of this species is most extraordinary in that the young escape from
the egg a full developed frog without undergoing any tadpole stage or metamorphosis. The
eggs are usually deposited in the damp axils of an air plant, about 20 to 30 in alump. The
development of the young in the egg is remarkable for the fact that the anterior and pos-
terior limbs appear simultaneously and that there is no trace of gills. In about three weeks
the young escape from the egg, the only sign of immaturity being a short rudiment of tail,
which is absorbed, however, in a few hours. The discovery of this extraordinary batrachian
development, which so strongly foreshadows that of the amniote vertebrates, was made by
Dr. Bello y Espinosa in 1870, and has been confirmed and elaborated by Gundlach and
Peters.” (StEJNEGER, Rept. U. S. N. M. for 1902, 1904, p. 587-588).

112 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

RANIDAE.
12. PHYLLOBATES LIMBATUS Cope.
Plate 1, fig. 4.

Diagnosis:— Probably the smallest of living amphibians, a tiny terrestrial
frog, rich maroon-brown with a yellow stripe on the thighs, sides of the body
and around the head, meeting on the tip of the nose.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 7,843. Cuba: Colonia Guabairo near
Cienfuegos, February, 1910. Rosamond and Thomas Barbour.

Tongue oval, entire; body rather stout; head not wider than body; snout
rather abruptly acute; skin of back and sides very finely granular, skin of belly
smooth; tympanum two thirds the diameter of the orbit, its distance from the
latter a little less than its own diameter; nostril much nearer tip of snout than
eye; subarticular tubercles very feebly developed, a very weak outer, no inner,
metatarsal tubercle; the hind limb being extended along the body the heel
just reaches the posterior border of the orbit, the limbs being flexed vertically
to the axis of the body the heels fail to meet by a considerable distance.

Colour (in life): — Above rich, lustrous maroon-brown; a brilliant yellow
band extends from the tip of the snout, along each side and down the thighs
to the knee; sides of body below the yellow line and front aspects of thighs
black; elsewhere limbs chestnut-brown; belly yellowish cream-colour.

Dimensions: — Tip of snout to vent 11.5 mm.
Width of head 3.5 mm.
Fore limb from axilla 6.5 mm.
Hind limb from vent 16.5 mm.
Vent to heel 10 mm.

This is the most delicate and beautifully coloured amphibian known to us.
It was one of the remarkable discoveries made by that most excellent collector
Charles Wright, in the vicinity of Guantanamo. The types, probably from
Monte Verde, are in the U. 8. N. M., though dried up beyond recognition.
The species was rediscovered at two localities on the Soledad Estate in 1910
(Barbour) and a few years later it was found once more near Wright’s old type-
locality in the mountains near Guantanamo, at La Union, on Monte Libano,
Monte Toro, Yateras, Bayate, Belona and at La Cobrera (Ramsden). In
1915 de la Torre sent a single specimen to the M. C. Z. from Cayo del Rey

se,

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 113

near Alto Cedro, also in Oriente. Much more startling, however, was the
capture in 1915 of a single adult at San Antonio de los Bafios not far from
Havana (Barbour). These are the only records of which we are aware, where
the locality is exactly known. There is a specimen in the British Museum
(P. Z. S., 1890, p. 324) which Dr. Boulenger writes was purchased from the
natural history institute ‘“Linnaea”’ with merely Cuba for data.

As to the habits of P. limbatus we can contribute but little. It seems to
be confined to a limestone substratum and is found by day hidden under stones
or damp leaves in moist situations. It is astonishingly active and when once
spied out it is by no means easy to catch. One needs forceps and must work
carefully lest the tiny creature be badly injured. It is noteworthy that the
smallest bird, Calypte helenae (Gundlach), is peculiar to Cuba, and that on the
same island occurs Sphaerodactylus elegans Reinhardt & Liitken, the smallest
reptile, and Phyllobates limbatus Cope, which is certainly one of the smallest
if not the very smallest amphibian known. However, almost equally minute
species of Arthroleptis and Nectophryne occur in the Seychelles Islands.

Phyllobates bicolor Bibron which was ascribed to Cuba in la Sagra’s History
(Rept. 1840, pl. 29, bis), and which appears also in Gundlach’s Erpetologia
Cubana (1880, p. 88) is beyond doubt some non-Cuban form. It probably
got mixed in with the Cuban collections which were forwarded to Paris for
study for publication in the la Sagra series. It is perhaps Mexican, for a num-
ber of species of shells now known to be from that country occur in d’Orbigny’s
volume on the Mollusques.

REPTILIA: SAURIA.

Key to the Genera.

at Four limbs.
b! Head covered with seales or small plates.
c! Eyelids undeveloped, pupil vertical“ ; =

d' Toes compressed, undilated . . . . . . . . . . . Gonatodes, p. 114
d? Toes dilated.
e! Toes dilated at the tiponly . . . . . . . . ... Sphaerodactylus, p. 119

e? Toes dilated at the base.
f! Terminal portion of each toe free, raised upward, all
toesclawed. .. . . ... ... =... . . Hemidactylus, p. 117
f Only third and fourth toes clawed . . . . . . Tarentola, p. 116
ec? Eyelids functional, pupils round.
d' Toes dilated.
e' Atransverse gularfold. . ...... =... . Deiroptyz, p. 130
e? A longitudinal gular pouch.
f! Squamation heterogeneous, body with mixed scales of
greatly varyingsize.. ..... =.=. =... . Chamaeleolis, p. 128

114 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

f? Squamation homogeneous, scales of single area similar

IN/SIZE, Hi cuce ch te) GR LOeey Fl yon Cees eve MANOS patos
dad Toes undilated.
e! Two hind toes armed with “combs”. . . . . . . . Cyclura, p. 166

2

e? Hind toes all simple.

f2" ‘Vail longveylindricall =) = Norops, p. 164

f? Tail long, more or less compressed and crested. . . Liocephalus, p. 169
b?. Head covered with large plates.
c! Eyelids undeveloped, pupil vertical . . . . . .. =. =. +. +. Cricolepis, p. 177
c? Eyelids developed.
d? Occipitalshield'absent 3% 4.) =) eee se eee se ee eA reap sehTo
d? Occipital/shield'present me =) Fei.) 2s) ee te ee eC CLestus oman
a? No limbs.
bt ‘Allateraliline present... S05 92 2) 2 4) Ge Ae) enn SEA Dhisboena mals,
b? No lateral dine.- < fs see eee on eee, ae RO eC enL SIE
GEKKONIDAE.

13. Gonatoprs Fuscus (Hallowell).
Plate 1, fig. 5.

Salamanquita.

Diagnosis: — A heavy bodied, thick tailed nocturnal lizard which differs
from the other Cuban geckonids by having round pupils, the eyelid distinct
all around the eye and no dilatation of the digits.

Description: — Adult @ M. C. Z. 1,922. Cuba: Havana, University
grounds, 1913. V. J. Rodriguez.

Head short and rather high; snout obtusely rounded, rather short, as long
as distance of eye to ear opening; ear opening broadly oval; forehead slightly
concave; limbs and body rather short and stout; digits slender, compressed
at the base, the scales under the basal joint enlarged; upper parts all covered
with minute even granules, those on the snout somewhat enlarged; rostral
roughly a pentagon, almost twice as broad as high, with a long median crest
above; nostril between the rostral and three or four small surrounding scales;
labials posteriorly ill defined, about five or six upper labials distinctly enlarged
and four or five lower; mental large, followed by two or three slightly enlarged
chin-shields, followed by other scales which pass almost immediately into the
granules of the throat; scales of abdomen, rather large, flat, rounded, and
strongly imbricating; tail cylindrical, tapering, covered above with small,
round, imbricating scales, those below larger with a median series distinctly
expanded.

Colour (in life): — Adult male. Iris neutral gray; head ochraceous yellow,
turning to orange-red below; neck same colour as head, with a narrow dark

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 115

brown median line extending to base of skull. Narrow pale cerulean blue line
on labials, extending beyond opening of the mouth. A small cerulean blue spot,
formed by four scales, above the ear (this is not always present). Another
cerulean blue line on shoulder where the ochraceous area meets the body-colour.
Body above slate-blue sprinkled with ochraceous scales. Tail velvety black
for three fourths of its length, turning to gray until the last quarter inch, which
is white. Feet pale snake-gray.

Females, variegated, gray of a rather light shade marked with brown
blotches of varying intensity, the white vertical shoulder band distinet but not
always edged with darker; belly whitish. The colours of the male become
very brilliant when mating.

The status of this lizard in Cuba is far from clear. Gundlach found it
only in houses in Havana and Santiago de Cuba and our extensive collecting
has never revealed it as a denizen of the country or wilder districts. We have
found it by no means abundantly in both Havana and Santiago de Cuba, where
Wirt Robinson also took it in 1908. It is abundant at Guantanamo but only
in houses and never in the country. It is certainly suggestive that these three
localities are all maritime ports of entry of great commercial importance. The
M. C. Z. has a few specimens from Kingston, Jamaica, and it was suggested
(Barbour, Bull. M. C. Z., 1910, 52, p. 289) that the lizard probably reached
that port from Santiago. Whether or not Gonatodes notatus (Reinhardt and
Liitken) from Haiti is this species or distinct we cannot say, as no examples
are available for examination. The original description suggests a valid form,
but Boulenger has included notatus, with a query, in the synonymy of albo-
gularis (Cat. lizards Brit. mus., 1885, 1, p. 59); a surmise very likely to be
justified. Whether this gecko has been accidentally established in some one of
the localities mentioned and then spread to the others; whether it has become
modified into a valid race after reaching the Antilles; whether or not it occurs
upon the mainland or whether perhaps the apparently different G. fuscus of
the continent is the ancestral form, are all suggestive topics for speculation.
At any rate it is very unlikely that the Gonatodes should be considered anything
but a recent accidental immigrant to Cuba and it should probably not there-
fore be considered, as it has been in the past, an integral part of the fauna of
the Island.

Since this was written Dr. Stejneger has answered some of our queries.
First he has compared Haitian and Cuban specimens and found them distinct,

so that the name G. notatus cannot be discarded. Then also he has shown

116 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

conclusively that the name of fuscus and not albogularis must be used for Cuban
species, Cuban examples being identical with those from Nicaragua, the type-
locality of fuscus, while albogularis first came from Martinique. Or rather, we
would suggest, may have come from Martinique for the record is based on a
Plée specimen and thus it may have come from almost anywhere in the Lesser
Antilles, so worthless were the Plée data. i

Stejneger also records examples from Mariel (Proc. U. 8. N. M., 1917,
53, p. 264, 265).

14. TarENTOLA cUBANA (Gundlach & Peters).
Plate 14, fig. 1.
Dormilona; Salamanquesa; Peninqué.

Diagnosis: — A large stout, sluggish, nocturnal lizard, with the digits
eréatly dilated and with the back covered with rows of prominent trihedral
tubercles. The eyes are large, without lids and the pupil is vertical.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 11,871. Cuba: Oriente; Cabo Maisi, La
Patana, May, 1916. Carlos de la Torre and V. J. Rodriguez.

No supraorbital bone; snout as long as distance from the eye to a point
midway to the axilla; rostral about twice as high as broad; nine upper labials,
the last two much smaller than the others; mental about once and- one half as
long as its breadth at the labial margin, its posterior border hardly one third
as long as its anterior; a pair of enlarged chin shields border the posterior half
of the mental (the first infralabials the anterior half), enlarged chin shields then
extend out behind the infralabials in a series diminishing in size; eight lower
labials, the last very small; anterior and posterior border of ear opening bor-
dered with five or six elongate denticles; back and sides with seventeen more
or less irregular rows of large conical tubercles; tail with verticils, usually
separated by five rows of scales, the limiting row enlarged and tubercular.

Colour (in life): — Grayish or whitish (varying); the back with six irregular
rows of dark blotches, often confluent into longitudinal bands; a horse-shoe
or chevron-shaped dark mark upon the head; the second lateral line of blotches
on each side meets a heavy dark streak behind each eye.

Dimensions: — Total length (tail partly reproduced) 194 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 102 mm.
Vent to tip of tail ? mm.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 117

Width of head 21 mm.
Fore limb 32 mm.
Hind limb 40 mm.

The Dormilona is generally a very rare lizard. Only occasionally will
some particular locality be found where they may be obtained easily. One
such locality is Puerto Escondido not far from Guantanamo Bay, where the
junior author has found a number of specimens in and under a dead dry cactus
locally called ‘Cardona.’ Although adult all these specimens are small com-
pared to those from Maisi. In some of the cliffs of the Farallones de Maisf,
Torre, and Rodriguez collected the species living closely pressed into crevices
of the limestone rock, almost abundantly. Other occurrences are Sierra de
Rangel, near San Diego de los Bafios (Gundlach); Santiago de Cuba (Wirt
Robinson); Cabo Cruz, Los Negros in Jiguanf and Pinar del Rio Province
(Barbour). It is, however, extremely rare outside of the few stations in the
Province of Oriente already mentioned. It is, of course, nocturnal and as to
its habits and activities nothing can be said. It is found occasionally under
the bark of a dead and decayed tree (the junior author found two under the bark
of a dead tree at Cayo Smith in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba), but much
more often about limestone outcrops, either under loose blocks of stone or in
crannies and crevices. It grows to a very considerable size and the specimen
described would be a veritable monster were its tail perfect. We have, how-
ever, never seen a really large adult which has not reproduced its tail on one or
more occasions.

15. HemipactyLtus MABourA (Moreau de Jonnés).
Salamanquesa.

Diagnosis: — A depressed nocturnal lizard, having the toes dilated and the
terminal portion of each toe raised at an angle from the base and terminating
in a curved claw.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 8,502. Cuba: Matanzas, 1913. V. J.
Rodriguez.

Rostral much broader than high, with a reentrant in its posterior margin
for the forward angle of the internasal and a long median cleft in contact with
two supranasals and a small median shield wedged between them; first supra-
labial in contact with the lower postnasal and reaching the nostril; nostril
pierced between rostral, first supralabial and three nasals, the upper one or

118 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

supranasal being much the largest; twelve supralabials, the suture between
eighth and ninth below centre of eye; top of head covered with granules which
are enlarged upon snout and specially upon canthal areas; ear opening oval, a
little oblique; temples covered with fine granules but with a few scattered
enlarged tubercular scales; mental wide, triangular; seven large infralabials;
four chin-shields in a row, the median pair greatly enlarged, hexagonal; upper
surface of body and flanks covered with small granules mixed with large tuber-
cles, which are not keeled; the tubercles in more or less irregular longitudinal
series from fourteen to sixteen across the middle of back; throat with small
flat uniform scales, scales of under parts of body and limbs ecycloid and imbri-
cate, as large as the largest dorsal tubercles; fourteen or fifteen femoral pores
on each side; fingers and toes without interdigital membranes, with compressed
and upward raised and clawed terminal phalanges; dilated basal portion with
four divided lamellae under inner toe and seven under middle toe, beside the
large single distal lamella; tail round, somewhat depressed at the base, covered
with enlarged granules and with six rows of conical tubercles set in whorls
about six or seven scales separating each whorl; under surface with a median
series of large dilated plates.

Colour (in life): —Grayish or whitish, uniform or becoming clouded or
marbled with dusky; rarely becoming almost uniform dusky brown.

Dimensions: — Total length: 102 mm.
Snout to vent: 44 mm.
Vent to tip of tail: 58 mm.
Width of head (greatest): 95 mm.
Fore limb: 16 mm.
Hind limb: 18 mm.

While this species may be really African it has become widely estab-
lished in America. In Cuba Gundlach reported it very common in Havana
and said that he had seen it in the Sierra de Rangel and at Cabo Cruz. This
is interesting since we have observed it only in cities or well-populated towns.
In the outskirts of Havana and Matanzas it may often be seen at night lurking
on the walls of houses near the old-fashioned gas- or oil-lamps in search of insects.
We have often been told that it cannot stand the glare of modern electric lights
and we have never seen it about them. Palmer and Riley found it at Mariel
and we have heard of it in Santiago de Cuba.

The species was not improbably brought to America during the extensive

a

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 119

commerce of slave-trading days, and it is now impossible to define its original
range. As an evidence of its great and somewhat erratic distribution a list of
the localities from which there are specimens in the M. C. Z. is not without
interest. From Africa there are examples from Zanzibar, Mozambique, Mom-
basa, and Madagascar; beside those from Cuba there are specimens from the
West Indian Islands of Trinidad, St. Lucia, Martinique, Petit Martinique,
St. Kitts, Haiti, and Porto Rico. That it is widespread upon the mainland is
evidenced by specimens from Acapulco, Mexico, as well as from Para, Rio de
Janeiro, Sad Sabastad, Vazouras, Santa Clara, and the Rio Mucury, Brazil.
That the species occurs so far inland and is so widespread in Brazil is certainly
suggestive if not indicating native habitat.

Key to the Species of Sphaérodactylus.

al Scales of body minutely granular.

b! Body grayish, dotted or vermiculated with lighter, sizelarge. . . . .¢ cinereus, p. 122
b? Body marked with more or less distinet cross-bands,
c! One postnasal, snout acute, tail usually bright red, size very small. ( elegans, p. 121
ec? Two or three postnasals, snout rather rounded, tail neverred. . . lorrei, p. 119

a? Seales of body keeled and overlapping.
b! Scales very small, almost granular, although distinctly keeled and imbricate

nigropunctatus, p. 124
b? Seales rather large, heavily keeled.
c! No narrow median dorsal zone of fine granules. . . . . . . . notatus, p. 125
ce? A narrow median dorsal zone of fine granules. . . . . . . . scaber, p. 126

16. SPHAERODACTYLUS TORREI Barbour.
Plate 2, fig. 1, 2.
Salamanquita de la Torre.

Diagnosis: — A medium sized, stout bodied species, with fine granular
dorsal scales, very variously marked with broad dark cross-bands upon a gray
ground-colour.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 8,510. Cuba: Cabo Cruz, March, 1913.
Thomas Barbour.

Snout rather short and rounded (longer and more acutely pointed in e. g.
M. C. Z. 8,508 from Guantanamo); the distance from the tip of the snout to
the eye being slightly greater than the distance between the eye and ear; rostral
rather large with a long median cleft behind; nostril between rostral, first
supralabials, two (or three) small postnasals and a moderately sized supranasal,
which is separated from its fellow on the opposite side by a somewhat smaller
roughly hexagonal median scale, the three bordering the rostral above; four

120 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

large (or four large and one small) supralabials to below the centre of the eye;
a spine on the superciliary margin over the centre of the eye; head above and
on sides covered with fine granular scales enlarged upon the snout; scales of
back all tiny round granules; mental large, larger than rostral; two very large
infralabials, followed by two much smaller ones to below the centre of the eye;
two squarish, slightly elongate chin-shields behind the mental followed by some
enlarged flat scales which grow smaller and pass gradually into the tiny scales
of the midgular region; scales of chest and belly, rounded, flat, and imbricate;
seales of limbs and tail smaller than ventrals, smooth also, and imbricating;
a very poorly defined series of enlarged scales along the under side of the tail.

Colour (in life): — Very variously marked with cross-bands on a darker
or lighter gray ground-colour. , The dark cross-band may be much wider than
the lighter interspaces; they may vary greatly in depth of colour. Sometimes
the dark bands are darker edged and have ocelli arranged a pair to each band
within them.

Dimensions: — Total length 55 mm. (M.C.Z. 8,508, Guantanamo,
in house, C. T. Ramsden).
Tip of snout to vent 29 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 26 mm.
Greatest width of head 5mm.
Tip of snout to ear 7.5 mm.
Fore limb 6.5 mm.
Hind limb 9 mm.

De la Torre’s Gecko is apparently confined to the Province of Oriente,
the specimens in the Museum being from Cabo Cruz, Santiago de Cuba, and
Guantanamo.

Gundlach who called this species sputator (Erp. Cub., 1880, p. 56) con-
fused elegans with it, although he noticed that his examples from Cabo Cruz
were different. It was called sputator until we pointed out that the name was
inapplicable as it referred to a different species from St. Eustatius (Barbour,
M. C. Z., 1914, 44, p. 260). It is not by any means a common species and the
examples taken at Cabo Cruz were under stones not far from the lighthouse.
The types, three specimens (M. C. Z. 6,916) were taken at Santiago de Cuba
in December 1903 by Lieut. (now Col.) Wirt Robinson. The junior author
has received recently a specimen from near Cotorro, Havana Province, which
may indicate that the species is much more widespread. If so it is surely

excessively rare outside of Oriente.

oe. se

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 121

17. SPHAERODACTYLUS ELEGANS MacLeay.
Plate 2, fig. 3.

Salamanquita de la Virgen.

Diagnosis: — A tiny species with sharply defined cross-bands which do
not meet across the belly, and a coral-red tail on which the cross-bands become
mere spots on its upper surface. The dorsal scales are tiny granules, the ven-
trals extremely small and smooth.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 7,921. Cuba: San Diego de los Bafios,
April, 1910. Thomas Barbour.

Snout rather pointed, the distance from the tip to the eye being about
equal to the distance of the latter from the ear opening; rostral rather large
with a long median cleft behind; nostril between the rostral, first supralabial,
a small postnasal and a distinctly larger supranasal which is separated from its
fellow on the opposite side by a single median scale not very much smaller
than one of the supranasals, these three scales border the rostral above; four
large supralabials, (on one side the third is divided, a common occurrence),
the fourth supralabial below the centre of the eye; a spine on the superciliary
margin above the centre of the eye; head above and on the sides covered with
minute granular scales, slightly larger and flatter on the snout; scales of back
very minute and granular; mental larger than rostral; two large and one small
infralabial to below the centre of the eye; two small pentagonal chin-shields
bordering mental between the large first infralabials followed by smaller flat
scales which decrease in size and become extremely small on middle of throat;
scales of chest and belly small, rounded, slightly imbricate; scales on upper
surface of tail granular, below flatter with a median series of enlarged flat trans-
verse plates.

Colour (in life): —Slaty gray above, rather light in tone; the head with
two narrow bands between the eyes of much darker slate, the nape with two,
the neck with two, and the body between fore and hind limbs with six cross-
bands. On the tail there are five bands but the three hinder ones are simply
spots. The distal three fifths of the tail is unmarked. The tail, distally where
unbanded and wholly below, is rosy pink. The belly is pinkish gray. The
bands on the head extend to the chin but do not quite meet.

Dimensions: — Total length 34 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 17 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 17 mm,

122 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

Greatest width of head 4 mm.
Tip of snout to ear 4.5 mm.
Fore limb 5.5 mm.
Hind limb 6.5 mm.

Sphaerodactylus elegans, a very well-named species, does not vary in colour
in the manner of so many other Sphaerodactyli. To be sure there is some
variation in the breadth and intensity of the bands but the species is easily
determined by its markings and its minute size. It is probably the smallest
known reptile.

It is not a rare species but it is one which we have but very rarely found
outside of houses. Perhaps because it is so much more easily seen on a smooth
white wall than in wilder surroundings. It spends its time by day behind
furniture, books, and pictures and sallies forth when dusk comes, scurrying
about after its prey of tiny insects. Dr. Faxon suggests its native name is
probably due to the fact that it is found commonly behind pictures and in
Cuba pictures of the Virgin are often the only ones in the poorer houses.

While elegans seems to be found in Haiti we cannot find any record for its
occurrence in the Province of Oriente in Cuba. The M. C. Z. has specimens
from San Diego de los Bafios, Santiago de la Vega, Remedios, Caibarién and
other western localities as well as from the Island of Pines.

Stejneger (Proc. U. 8. N. M., 31 May, 1917, 53, p. 266) calls attention to
the fact that this lizard, usually credited to Reinhardt and Liitken, should be
ascribed to Macleay.

18. SPHABRODACTYLUS CINEREUS MacLeay.
Plate 2, fig. 4.
Salamanquita.

Diagnosis: — A rather large Sphaerodactylus with granular dorsal scales,
much larger smooth ventrals. Ashy or dusky gray in colour finely dotted with
white except about the region of the head and neck, which is finely vermiculate.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 7,916. Cuba: San Diego de los Bajos,
April, 1910. Thomas Barbour.

Snout rather flat and pointed, the distance from the tip to the eye being
slightly longer than the distance from the eye to the ear opening; rostral moder-
ately large with a long median cleft behind, nostril between rostral, first supra-

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 123

labial, a single small postnasal and a much larger supranasal which is separated
from its fellow on the opposite side by a single much smaller median scale, these
three bordering the rostral above; four large supralabials to the centre of the
eye; a spine on the superciliary margin over the centre of the eye; head above
and on sides covered with fine granules, those of the snout much enlarged and
flattened; scales on back small and granular; mental large, larger than rostral;
two large and one small roughly pentagonal chin-shields which are followed
by flat, pavement-like scales which pass gradually into tiny round scales of the
middle throat; belly with enlarged, smooth, rounded imbricate seales; tail
with smooth, round, imbricating scales above and below, also a series of wide
plates below on the median line.

Colour (in life): — Uniform gray, lighter below; above finely punctate
with white, streaked with fine white lines on side of head and neck. In some
specimens the white appears as distinct vermiculations on the head and anterior
body-regions; again the vermiculations may appear to be dark upon a light
ground-colour; there is considerable variation. Never, however, has any
tendency to cross banding been observed, the striping is invariably longitudinal.

Dimensions: — Total length 76 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 35 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 41 mm.
Greatest width of head 6 mm.
Tip of snout to ear 9 mm.
Fore limb 10 mm.
Hind limb 11 mm.

This gray Sphaerodactylus is by no means rare. Its habits are those of
many others, found perhaps more often in houses than in the woods these little
lizards become one’s familiar companions on many occasions. To show how
widespread is the form we add the localities of the series in the M. C. Z.:—
Herradura, Cabo San Antonio, Sierra de Cubitas, Los Negros in Jiguanf, Havana,
Cienfuegos, San Diego de los Bafios, Caibarién, San Antonio de los Banos, also
several localities in the Island of Pines and Haiti.

This species has usually been called S. punctatissimus, but Duméril and
‘Bibron’s description (Erp. gén., 1836, 3, p. 405) is based upon a specimen
without locality, and is not sufficiently detailed to allow one to say surely that
the name is applicable to this Cuban species without examining the type.

For use of MacLeay instead of Cocteau for authority consult Stejneger
(Proc. U. 8. N. M., 1917, 53, p. 266).

124 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

19. SPHAERODACTYLUS NIGROPUNCTATUS Gray.

Riatems tele

Salamanquita.

Diagnosis: — This may be distinguished from all the other Cuban Sphaero-
dactyli by having very minute dorsal scales which are not granules but elongate
keeled scales with a slight tendency to imbricate. On the sides the scales are
larger, rounded, more imbricating and more feebly keeled.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 8,536. Cuba: Guantanamo, Monte Libano,
1914. C. T. Ramsden.

Snout rather short and blunt, the distance from the tip to the eye being
less than that of the eye from the ear; rostral moderate with a very long median
cleft behind; nostril between rostral, first supralabial, one postnasal and a
very small supranasal, which is separated from its fellow on the opposite side
by four small scales, these six scales bordering the rostral posteriorly; three
large and one small supralabial to below the centre of the eye; a small spine
on the superciliary margin above the centre of the eye; head above and on
sides covered with very minute granules, but slightly enlarged upon the snout;
seales of back very small, somewhat elongate, keeled and very slightly imbri-
cate; mental moderate, as large as rostral; one very large, followed by a medium
and a small infralabial to below the centre of the eye; two small squarish chin-
shields below the mental followed by a few slightly enlarged scales passing
quickly into the small scales of the gular region; scales of chest and belly
rounded, smooth, imbricate; scales of tail smaller, irregularly arranged, rounded,
smooth, imbricate; with only a very faintly defined series of enlarged scales
below.

Colour (in fresh specimen): — Rich mahogany-brown, specked with black,
a lighter streak around the head and a series of light dots across the nape.

Dimensions: — Total length 55 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 29 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 26 mm.
Greatest width of head 4 mm.
Tip of snout to ear 5.5 mm.
Fore limb 6.5 mm.
Hind limb 8.5 mm.

Sphaerodactylus nigropunctatus was described by Gray from an example
in the British Museum without locality. Until the type can be examined and

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 125

compared with Cuban specimens it will be impossible to be positive that they
are correctly identified. Garman, however, studying a series from Santiago
de Cuba (Wirt Robinson collector) gave them this name and after a reéxami-
nation of the material we agree with him. There are a few examples in the
M. C. Z. from San Domingo and Oriente in Cuba. This is the species which
Gundlach said was so rare and of which he had only caught two examples in
Santiago de Cuba — probably meaning the Province, as Oriente was so-called
before Cuban dependence. He confused the species with Sphaerodactylus
argus Gosse which is really a species wholly confined to Jamaica.

20. SPHAERODACTYLUS NOTATUS Baird.
Plate 3, fig. 2.
Salamanquita.

Diagnosis: — A small species with rather enlarged, overlapping, keeled
dorsal scales but with no middorsal zone of smaller scales.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 8,513. Cuba: Guantanamo, Monte Li-
bano, March, 1913. Thomas Barbour and C. T. Ramsden.

Snout moderately long but not very acutely pointed; the distance from the
tip of the snout to the eye being slightly greater than the distance from the
latter to the ear; rostral moderate with a long median cleft behind ; nostril
between rostral, first supralabial, a postnasal (or two) and a slightly enlarged
supranasal which is separated from its fellow on the opposite side by one (or
often two) small median scales, these three (or four) scales border the rostral
above; three large supralabials to below the centre of the eye; a small spine
on the superciliary margin above the centre of the eye; head above and on
sides covered with fine granules, enlarged and flattened upon the snout; scales
on back enlarged, keeled, imbricate, about ten or twelve equal to the distance
from the tip of snout to ear; mental moderate, about the size of the rostral;
two small roughly pentagonal scales border the mental posteriorly; two (or
three) large infralabials to below the centre of the eye; gular scales minute
except for a few near the postmentals which are slightly enlarged; scales of
chest and belly smooth, rounded, enlarged (but not quite as large as dorsals),
and imbricate; tail with somewhat irregularly arranged, rounded, imbricate,
smooth scales, no conspicuous series of transversely enlarged scales below.

Colour (in life): — Very variable, often uniform brown lighter below and

126 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

on the tail; perhaps more often with darker stripes and bars; sometimes a
pair of white dots which may or may not be in a spectacle-like marking is found
upon the shoulder region; the head usually has a dark median band and dark
bands upon the sides running through the eyes and along the canthi.

Dimensions: — Total length 49 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 25 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 24 mm.
Greatest width of head 4 mm.
Fore limb 6.5 mm.
Hind limb 8 mm.

Sphaerodactylus notatus is one of the most widely distributed species in the
genus. It is found abundantly all over Cuba, we have taken it from Guane
to Guantanamo and Rodriguez found it at Baracoa. It is also common upon
the Island of Pines, upon New Providence, Great and Little Abaco, and a num-
ber of other islands and cays of the Bahamas. The types came from Key
West and the M. C. Z. has specimens from there caught by both Count Pour-
talés and Garman. It probably was originally accidentally introduced but
seems to have become well established.

It is found commonly in the woods in Cuba and the Bahamas, but some-
times enters houses, living by day hidden in some nook or cranny. When
collecting insects in the forest, and tearing open rotten logs, one often meets
with small single eggs, pure white, and about 3 x 5 mm. in size and as the ob-
vious parent is so often near by there cannot be much doubt but that these are
the eggs of Sphaerodactylus. That they are laid singly is of interest, not only
because this is also the habit with Anolis but because many other geckos both
of the Old World and the New, e. g. Ptychozoon and Aristelliger, lay their eggs
in pairs. The pairs are evidently laid while soft and sticky and usually are
so closely approximated as to indent one another. They are stuck fast to the
surface of some crevice on, or in the hollow of,a large tree. They take a long
time to hatch.

21. SPHAERODACTYLUS SCABER, sp. Nov.
Plate 3, fig. 3.

Sabandija.

Diagnosis: — A large species, the back covered with large, heavily keeled
scales which are about as long as broad. The neck and back with a very nar-
row median zone of very small scales. The head is covered with extremely

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 127

minute granules and the belly-scales are large and smooth. The tail is long
and slender with round, overlapping, smooth scales above and below.

Description: — Adult @ M. C. Z. 12,304. Cuba: Camaguey; Sierra de
San Juan de los Perros. Thomas Barbour.

Snout pointed and elongate, the distance from the tip to the eye being
distinctly longer than that from the eye to the ear opening; rostral moderate
with a long median cleft behind; nostril between rostral, first supralabial, a
large supranasal and two small postnasals; supranasal separated from its fellow
on the opposite side by a single roughly hexagonal scale about two thirds the
size of one of the supranasals, the three bordering the rostral above; four large
and two small supralabials to below the centre of the eye; a spine on the super-
ciliary margin over the centre of the eye; head above and on sides with ex-
tremely minute granular scales; scales of the snout distinctly enlarged and
flattened; scales on back very large (comparatively speaking), heavily keeled,
imbricate, giving a rough appearance; about seven in the distance from the tip
of snout to ear; the change from the cephalic granules to the large dorsal scales
is gradual; a very narrow median zone of very small scales, most conspicuous
on the nape and shoulder region; mental large, larger than rostral; two very
large infralabials and two very small ones to below the centre of the eye; two
small, slightly elongate chin shields behind the mental, followed by small flat
scales which gradually become the tiny scales of the midgular region; scales of
chest and throat rounded, imbricate, smooth, rather large, not however as
large as the dorsals; scales of limbs much smaller, imbricate, smooth or feebly
keeled; scales of tail small, rounded, slightly elongate, imbricate, smooth, a
rather inconspicuously enlarged series on the lower median surface of the tail.

Colour (in fresh specimen): — Uniform iron-gray above, pale below in the
male, and in the female the ground-colour is bluish or stone-gray crossed on the
nape, shoulders, and body by pairs of black bands; between these pairs of bands
there are also cross-series of dark dots. In the young the pairs of bands are
broad and conspicuous but the intermediate series of dots are absent.

Dimensions: — Total length 58 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 32 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 26 mm.
Greatest width of head 5 mm.
Tip of snout to ear 7.5 mm.
Fore limb 8 mm.

Hind limb 11 mm.

128 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

The type-series of scaber has been compared with the types of picturatus
from Jeremie, Haiti, and other recently taken examples also from Haiti. It
may be separated by several characters. The Haitian species evidently grows
much larger, in examples of similar size and the scales of the sides of the back
are also larger and more strongly keeled. In pictwratus too the shoulders (in
the female) usually, if not always, bear a conspicuous spectacle-marking and
the ground-colour is reddish instead of bluish. In general appearance they
are very different but as is so often the case with related species of Sphaero-
dactylus it is very difficult to describe the various separating characters without
over-emphasizing their individual importance.

The species evidently occurs in the Sierra de Jatibonico where Brown
found it in 1918 and in the Sierra de San Juan de los Perros to the north of the
Sierra de Jatibonico but still in sight of the main range in the western part
of the Province of Camaguey. The senior author found six specimens all in
deep woods under stones or decaying vegetation. The sexual dichromatism
in this species and picturatus does not seem to have been previously emphasized,
but is very striking. This is the species which Gundlach (Erpet. Cubana, 1880,
p. 61) called 8. fantasticus and which he said he found only at La Fermina near
Bemba, now Jovellanos in the Province of Matanzas. For evidence that fan-
iasticus is confined to the island of Guadeloupe see Barbour, (Proc. Biol. soc.
Wash., 1915, 28, p. 72).

IGUANIDAE.
22. CHAMAELEOLIS CHAMAELEONTIDES (Duméril & Bibron).
Plate 14, fig. 2, 3.

Chipojo; Camaleén blanco; Camaleén ceniciente; Chipojo blanco; Chipojo
pardo, &ce.

Diagnosis: — A large gray arboreal lizard; the head with an elevated
casque posteriorly; the whole body covered with flat, soft scales of very unequal
size.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 8,759. Cuba: Oriente; Jiguanf, Los Negros,
Spring of 1913. Thomas Barbour.

Head large, twice as long as broad; raised posteriorly in a casque-like
manner; upper surface of head concave, covered with many rough tubercles,
largest on the canthus rostralis; nostril near the tip of the snout; eye aperture
small, ear aperture also small, vertically oval, a small dermal process above it.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 129

Gular scales minute and granular; double row of small triangular lobes on the
chin; gular appendage very large, extending posteriorly to the thorax. Body
strongly compressed. Dorsonuchal crest continuous with the posterior border
of the casque. Body above and on the sides covered with round flat scales of
irregular shape and size separated by areas covered with similar but very much
smaller scales; ventral region with minute granules. Limbs rather short, the
hind limb being extended forward along the body reaches only to the axilla;
digits strongly dilated. Tail compressed, about as long as head and body,
covered with irregular sized scales and below with smaller keeled ones.

Colour (in life): —Grayish varying to various shades of brown, never
very dark, sometimes yellowish. The colour usually not uniform but variously
marbled or blotched. The gular appendage is rosy, slightly purplish, with
darker spots and streaks in the upper portion.

Dimensions: — Total length 326 mm.
Tips of snout to vent 138.5 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 187.5 mm.
Width of head 19.2 mm.
Fore leg 57 mm.
Hind leg 73 mm.

This remarkable lizard of a very distinct monotypic genus is wholly con-
fined to Cuba. It occurs in all parts of the Island where there are forests both
in lowlands and highlands. We have seen or collected specimens at Aguada
de Pasajeros, vicinity of Manzanillo, Los Negros in Jiguanf, La Maya near Alto
Songo, and about Guantanamo. There is a specimen in the M. C. Z. from
near San Diego de los Bafios in western Cuba. The species is rare everywhere
and is one which is universally feared by the natives, who believe it to be very
venomous. Of the breeding habits of this lizard nothing is known. The only
young examples which have been recorded were two taken by the junior author
at La Maya, and “El Corojo” de San Carlos, Guantanamo, and a very young
one taken during its first shedding, its umbilical area scarcely closed, by the
senior author in October, 1918, on the Sierra de Andfe near Guayabal, Havana
Province. The second mentioned young example which is about 37” from
snout to vent has a series of barbel-like scales, soft and almost hair-like, ex-
tending from the symphysis of the lower jaws to the origin of the dewlap. In
all respects they are similar to the adults except that the head is markedly
Anolis-like and lacks the casque-development with its characteristic ornamenta-

130 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

tion of tubercles. It is a curious and noteworthy fact that the young of this
species and of the Camaleon or Chipojo Verde (Anolis equestris) are very rarely
seen and a naturalist may secure many adults without seeing a single immature
example. This is certainly true with the Venus Lizard of Jamaica (Anolis
garmani) which has frequently been observed and collected by one of the authors
(Barbour). In so far as we are aware the young of the related species in Haiti
and Porto Rico (Anolis ricordii and A. cuviert respectively) are entirely un-

known.

23. DEIROPTYX VERMICULATUS (Duméril & Bibron).
Plate 14, fig. 4.

Caiman, (Guane and the Valley of Luis Lazo); Lajartija (elsewhere).

Diagnosis: — A pale gray, white barred, depressed Anolis-like lizard,
having a transverse fold across the throat in place of a dewlap.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 10,847. Cuba: Pinar del Rio; Valley of
Luis Lazo, Banks of Rio Cuyaguateje, March, 1915. Thomas Barbour.

Head long and depressed similar to but slightly wider than in Anolis por-
catus; top of head covered with flat, rather uniform, small scales; frontal ridges
very weakly developed, barely discernible; supraocular semicircles with second
seale from anterior end very large, separated by two rows of flat scales; occi-
pital in a depression, small, scarcely one sixth as large as ear opening; supra-
ocular discs well defined, composed of about eight rather large and a few smaller
scales, separated from the semicircles by two rows of scales; canthus rostralis
not especially prominent composed of one large scale near the eye and then a
double row of very small scales extending to Just below the nostril; a superciliary
ridge of two or three very long scales; loreal rows, about eight; subocular
semicircles represented by but about three scales in contact with the supra-
labials; eight supralabials, the seventh under the centre of eye; temporals
small, round and flat, uniform in size; no supratemporal line; dorsal scales
slightly larger than laterals, the two middorsal rows largest; ventrals larger,
squarish, in regular rows, slightly imbricate; scales of anterior aspect of fore
and hind limbs slightly enlarged, imbricate but not keeled; body rather elongate,
depressed; no nuchal nor dorsal fold; limbs long, hind limbs very long; the
adpressed hind limb reaches almost to the nostril; about thirty lamellae under
phalanges II and III of the fourth toe; tail rather long, round, with verticils
feebly indicated at about eleven scale intervals; postanal scales not enlarged;

a transverse gular fold.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 131

Colour (in life}: — Usually ashy gray variously striped with darker and
lighter; a series of vertical white lines frequently present upon the flanks. The
colour may change to brown of varying intensity with white or gray vermicu-
lations. Lower surfaces white.

Dimensions: — Total length 198 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 70 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 128 mm.
Width of head 12 mm.
Fore leg 33 mm.
Hind leg 58 mm.

By most authorities this lizard has been included in Anolis but a careful
examination of the cephalic squamation reveals many very peculiar character-
istics, while the transverse gular fold in place of the dewlap is in itself a character
of full generic value. The genus Deiroptyx, then, erected by Fitzinger ( Syst.
Rept., 1843, p. 66) and based upon this species alone, becomes available for
use as noted by Stejneger (loc. cit., p. 268).

No Cuban lizard has more interesting and unusual habits than has this
one. While it is not remarkable to find it upon outcrops of limestone rocks
at some distance from water, yet this is not its characteristic habitat. It
usually frequents the boulders and tree-trunks along water courses of consid-
erable size and when disturbed it springs at once into the water there to dive
and swim actively below the surface, and to hide in some nook or cranny until
the danger has passed. It can run upon the surface of the water after the
manner of many other iguanids, notably Basiliseus, Laemanctus and some
species of Anolis. Its form, resembling a miniature Caiman as well as its
readily taking to water, have given it its common name in part of western Pinar
del Rio.

Deiroptyx vermiculata is not widely distributed in Cuba. It has a limited
range, apparently within the western Province of Pinar del Rio. Gundlach
observed it only on the banks of the Rio Taco Taco and the Rio Santa Cruz.
Palmer and Riley while collecting for the U. 8. National Museum in 1900 found
it abundant about streams near San Diego de los Bafios. The various trips
of the senior author made in recent years with Prof. Carlos de la Torre, Mr.
W. 8. Brooks, Senor V. J. Rodriguez, and others has yielded a number of speci-
mens from Mendoza, Guane, the Valley of Luis Lazo, Sumidero, and other
localities in the extreme western districts of the Island.

132 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

Key to the Species of Anolis.

a! Head elevated posteriorly intoarugose casque ....... . . .* equestris, p. 133

a2 Head normal in shape. :
b! Canthal scales projecting, flange-like;head long, depressed, rugose above . “ porcatus, p. 163
b?. Canthal scales normal, head more or less smooth above.
ec! Ventral scales keeled.
d'! Ventral scales strongly keeled.
e! Habit excessively slender, head very narrow, body no wider
than head; tailtound!) 3 93 9). . ae ee RS IECI- UI sew.
ce Habit stout, tail compressed.
f! Head short, frontal ridges separated oy but one or two
seales™.> i < . vgreyi, p. 144
f? Frontal ridges aan eeneeried ie more Mian one or
two scales.
g! Dewlap in male very large, maroon in colour,

head slightly elongate . . . . bremeri, p. 144
g? Dewlap moderate in size, ran orange in Gplonn
headishortee ene . .¥sagrei, p. 142
d? Ventrals feebly keeled, tail round, Aenden but as) one

so, green :
e Ventral scales pect
d' Taikround.
e! Body with scattered ppincice Scales, "=. 4 2 = = « e™ lOUStOna. palo)
ce? Body without scattered spine-like scales.
f! Habit excessively slender, head elongate, dark brown .» alutaceus, p. 153
f? Habit not excessively slender.
g' Head flat, with scales Baas arranged,
mosaic-like and flat. . . . Fee 8 oar joe U8i7/
g? Head with scales regularly omgmeet.
h! Head with scales of semicircles keeled and _
separated by but one row of scales, body”
depressedityy pe umesn ae . angusticeps, p. 135
h? Head with scales of eoneeey sfieniy
‘broadly in contact.
it Habit very stocky, tail but little longer
than head and body, round, body longi-
tudinally striped. . .. . . Yargitlaceus, p. 147
i? Habit more elongate, normal, ‘al lennon:
J’ Semicircles composed of large scales,
broadly in contact, head twice as
Koyerearrsilowonwl 5 3 4 6 » argenteolus, p. 140
j’ Semicircles composed of neers stokes
broadly in contact, but head only
once and one half times as long as

broad PAeEOEIS tartar, Tomes ae kal oe LETS

. V cyanopleurus, p. 150

d? Tail not cylindrical.

e! Tail compressed but without a “‘fin,’’ very many small

keeled scales upon the snout. . . . soe 4 se 2 Y mesiznedap.. Low
ec? Tail with a more or less well-developed “fin”
f! Tail with a moderately-developed “fin,” many small

keeled scalesupon thesnout . .°.:. . . . . .vallogus, p. 159
f Tail with a high ‘‘fin.”’

g! Frontal ridges separated ee about five rows of

keeled scales . . . . rubribarbus, p. 156
ge Frontal ridges separated ise one or ae rows Ls:
seales,

h' About ten smooth supralabials, dewlap white ¥ homolechis, p. 155
h? About seven smooth supralabials, several
large dark markings on each side, surrounded

by whitedots . . . 5. : 5 «= « .WQuadriocelliferm. 15s

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 133

24. ANOLIS EQUESTRIS Merrem.
Plate 14, fig. 5.
Camaleén; Camaleén verde; Chipojo.

Diagnosis: — A large, usually green, lizard with the upper surface of the
head developed into a casque, studded with rough tubercles, also with a greatly
developed gular pouch which in life is a vivid chrome-yellow.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 7,906. Cuba: Madruga, Spring of 1910.
Thomas Barbour.

Head large, top of head flat, with extensive depressions on prefrontal and
occipital region; the scales of the latter area being small and roughly tubereu-
lated, while those on the snout are larger and much more heavily corrugated;
a group of flat plate-like scales on each supraorbital region; supraorbital semi-
circles prominent thin laminar scales set side by side, their long axes parallel;
the circles separated by three or four rows of small tubercular seales; the series
of scales forming the supraorbital semicircles continued posteriorly into ridges
of prominent scales which surround the occipital depression; canthal scales
‘much enlarged and very heavily tubercular; five or six loreal rows, the scales
of the rows next to the supralabials the largest; one row of large suboculars,
the posterior two of which are keeled; ten supralabials to below the centre of
the eye; temporals flat; ear opening small, round, back and sides covered
with uniform flat or slightly swollen scales which are separated from each other
by a narrow zone of soft skin, many of the scales tend to a rounded form; on
the median line of the neck and back a series of spine-like scales forming a weak
nuchal and dorsal crest which is continuous on the sacral region with caudal
crest; ventral scales smooth and tending to imbricate smaller than the scales
on the sides; scales on fore and hind limbs smooth and pavement-like; digital
expansions greatly developed, about thirty-seven lamellae under second and
third phalanges of the fourth toe; tail strongly compressed with a caudal crest
similar to the dorsal; gular appendage very large, with distinct rows of small
flat scales on the naked skin, the edge rounded, thickened and sealy; no enlarged
preanal plates.

Colour (in life): — Uniform emerald-green; sometimes changing to brown-
ish or even almost black; sometimes with vertical brown bars on the sides of

the body, the ground-color being green. A yellowish streak beginning above

134 'THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

the insertion of the fore limb and extending for about one third the length of
the side is a fairly permanent feature. Dewlap yellow in life, sometimes chang-
ing to pinkish in alcohol.

Dimensions: — Total length 444 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 141 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 303 mm.
Width of head 21 mm.
Fore leg 57 mm.
Hind leg 94 mm.

The adults of this species do not vary much inter se. A most astonishing
series of changes in form takes place, however, during the growth of the indi-
vidual. The half-grown and young, owing to their usually appearing in the
vivid green dress and apparently remaining in the tree-tops all the time, are
extremely difficult to find; especially since the species is far from abundant
in the most favorable localities. We have in the M. C. Z. three choice immature

‘examples, one from Santiago (Wirt Robinson coll.), one from San Diego de los
Banos (Barbour coll.) and one from the woods at Rio Seco near San Carlos,
Guantanamo (Ramsden coll.). All of these are smaller than any recorded and
the example last mentioned is very young, the umbilicus being but incom-
pletely closed. This specimen measures but 40 mm. from snout to vent, while
the tail is 96 mm. long. The other two examples are about twice this size,
but one has a pattern of colouration similar to that which we shall describe,
while the other was uniform green. This specimen is brilliant green with four
white bands crossing the body, their ends on each side being joined by a white
lateral line. There is a white stripe along the upper lip and the dewlap in life
was olive-green. On the surface of the head all the scales are quite flat and
smooth, but nevertheless their arrangement and distribution is in perfect con-
formity with the condition seen in the adults, and there can be no doubt as to
all our specimens being conspecific. The capture of these specimens also makes
it quite certain that we were not failing to recognize the young of the species
and were calling it by another name, as has been thought possible. This species
attains the largest size of any member of the genus, reaching a length of about
50 em.

Like the other giant Anoles of Jamaica, Haiti, and Porto Rico, the adults
of the Cuban form though far from common may still be quite easily found by
searching in orchards, especially of mango trees and in groves of palms. The
young probably remain hidden in the dense foliage of the tree-tops to escape

ae

Ee

oe

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 135

the smaller birds of prey. In Cuba the local sparrow hawks subsist almost
entirely on lizards and might catch these young arboreal lizards more easily
than species of the same size living near the ground. The adults are agile and
capable of biting fiercely. They too are seldom or never seen near the ground,
possibly descending for oviposition, although the eggs may be laid in hollow
trees.

The natives have a very widespread belief that the bite of this species is
dangerous, the victim being at once seized with fever and ague. As to the
food of the great Anolis we know but little; it is surely insectivorous and Giind-
lach records that he once heard the shrill scream of a tree frog (Hyla) and found
that it had been caught by one of these lizards. The country people all declare
that they feed largely upon fruit, especially the mango; it is not improbable
that this idea arises from the fact that they are frequently found in mango
trees. We have always imagined that this circumstance was due in part at
least to the excellent cover offered by the splendid growth of rich green foliage
of the Cuban mango trees; it, however, has been seen eating berries (Ramsden).
With good luck one may occasionally see two males of this fine species chasing
one another about, making short rushes and charges at each other, accompanied
by much tossing of heads and display of brilliant dewlaps. When this mimic
battle takes place about the smooth green top of the trunk of a stately Royal
Palm, it is a sight not easily forgotten.

The Giant Anolis occurs throughout the whole Island and, unlike the Gray
Chipojo, is not confined to the virgin forest, but apparently prefers groves and
orchards. Its. abundance is probably not being affected by the extensive

deforestation which is taking place in so many parts of the Island.

25. ANOLIS ANGUSTICEPS Hallowell.
Aa t 7 F 7 /

/

Lagartija.

Diagnosis: — A depressed rather slender Anolis having a long and rather
flat head; short limbs; gray in color, variously mottled or longitudinally
striped, with a peach-pink dewlap.

Description: — Adult @ M. C. Z. 7,956. Cuba: Santa Clara Province;
region of Sierra de Jatibonico, 1912. Barnum Brown.

Top of head with two ridges of keeled scales enclosing a slightly depressed
oval area; ridges converging gradually and meeting just posterior to the nos-

136 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

trils; oval depression paved with about six flat polygonal scales; head-scales
generally flat or slightly rugose; about five scales in a row between the nostrils;
supraocular semicircles separated by one row of flat scales; occipital larger
than ear opening, just in contact with the semicircles; supraocular disc com-
posed of two or three large scales and a few smaller ones, separated from the
semicircles by a single row of very small scales; canthus rostralis distinct and
prolonged from under nostrils to just over anterior border of eye, of about
seven long scales; no superciliary ridge; loreal rows, three; subocular semi-
circles indistinct, being really only the backward continuation of the lower
loreal row; about nine smooth supralabials, the eighth being about under the
centre of the eye; temporals small and flat, the central group smallest, a very
faintly indicated supratemporal line; scales of back, sides, and belly all smooth,
small and almost uniform, the ventrals having a tendency to imbricate; scales
of anterior aspect of lower arm and hind limb enlarged, flat and strongly im-
bricating; body elongate and rather depressed; no nuchal nor dorsal fold;
limbs short, the adpressed hind limb reaches the shoulder; about twenty
lamellae under phalanges II and III of the fourth toe; tail rather long, almost
round, with weakly indicated verticils for the greater part of its length, these
separated by about six vertical series of keeled scales, the hmiting row distinctly
enlarged; postanal scales considerably enlarged.

Colour (in life): — (Specimen from Guane) light yellowish or grayish often
with light lateral bands and with slightly darker dorsal rhombic markings,
throat flecked with darker; whole upper surface often covered with anasta-
mosing wavy lines; lower part white; dewlap skin peach-blow pink, the scales
white and the edge ashy gray.

Dimensions: — Total length (an adult from the Island of Pines) 114 mm.

Tip of snout to vent ; 43 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 71 mm.
Width of head 6 mm.
Fore leg 13.5 mm.
Hind leg 23 mm.

Though this species was very inadequately described, it is distinct and
seems to be the western Cuban representatives of Anolis isolepis, as A. lucius
is of A. argenteolus. Thanks to Mr. H. W. Fowler, Hallowell’s type has been
examined and photographed. Since the type came from Cienfuegos an adult
male from the Jatibonico range, Santa Clara Province, was chosen for descrip-

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 137 -

tion, although lacking part of its tail. Mr. R. M. Grey has since sent the
M. C. Z. a fine adult female from Soledad, near Cienfuegos, so that a topotype
recently taken could also be compared with the type. The species is not un-
common about Guane and Luis Lazo and on the Island of Pines (Barbour).
In the Island of Pines especially, it seems to frequent the trunks of Royal Palms,
with the colour of which it blends beautifully. At Guane we found it principally
in the thick “‘manigua” or scrub generally upon white or gray rocks.

26. ANOLIS ISOLEPIS Cope.

Plate 7, fig. 2.
Lagartija.

Diagnosis: — A very small, compressed, short limbed, thickset Anolis,
cross banded with dark mauve upon a very light mauve-ground. Entirely
covered above and below with tiny uniform scales. Dewlap apricot-yellow;
head without frontal ridges.

Description: — Adult? # M. C. Z. 8,514. Cuba: Oriente; Jiguanf, Los
Negros, (High Sierra Maestra), 1913. Thomas Barbour.

No frontal ridges, top of head covered with plate-like scales with many
parallel striae; all head-scales striate, none carinate; only three or four rather
large scales between the nostrils; supraocular semicircles separated by but
one row of large striate scales; supraocular dises ill defined, the whole supra-
ocular area covered with plate-like scales of varying size and hardly distinguish-
able from the semicircles; canthus rostralis composed of three or four scales,
the anterior largest, projecting backward to form a short supraorbital ridge;
loreal rows, three; subocular semicircles of rather large keeled scales, one behind
and below the eye large, semicircles broadly in contact with the supralabials;
eight or nine smooth supralabials, the suture between the seventh and eighth
below the centre of the eye; occipital not much enlarged, about the size of the
ear opening and similar in character to the surrounding scales; temporals
rather large, flat and polygonal; scales of back, sides, and belly all very small,
the belly-seales and the dorsals a little smaller than those on the sides, belly-
scales perfectly smooth and slightly imbricate; scales upon anterior aspects
of the limbs not enlarged nor imbricating; body stout, compressed; no nuchal
nor dorsal fold; digits of hind limb short; the adpressed hind limb reaches but
very slightly beyond the axilla; digital expansions very little developed, about

-138 THE HERPETOLOGY- OF CUBA.

fifteen lamellae under phalanges II and III of the fourth toe; tail short, cylin-
drical, covered with small uniform keeled, imbricating scales, no verticils;
postanal plates scarcely if at all enlarged.

Colour (in life): — Light mauve-gray with stripes of darker upon the sides
of the head and irregular cross-bars upon the back and tail, sides with scattered
blotches and fine scattered dark dots on the ventrolateral region. Belly bluish
white, throat and under side of tail spotted. Dewlap apricot-yellow.

Dimensions: — Total length 64 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 28 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 36 mm.
Width of head 6 mm.
Fore leg 10 mm.
Hind leg 14 mm.

This species is a rare denizen of the deep mountain forests. It is very
beautiful in life. The type came from the Sierra de Yateras. It has been
found upon Monte Libano and at Belona (Ramsden). These with the example
described are the only specimens known with definite data.

27. ANOLIS LucIUS Duméril & Bibron.

Plate 6, fig. 4.

Coronel.

Diagnosis: — A rather large, long limbed Anolis, ashy gray in colour, with
a dark chevron-like band upon the nape and a pure white occipital spot.

Description: — Adult #@ M. C. Z. 8,496. Cuba: Matanzas, Abra del
Rio Yumuri, 1913. Thomas Barbour.

Top of head with two slightly converging ridges, enclosing a rather deep
trench-like depression; about six small scales between the ridges where they
are farthest apart; head-scales, some smooth, some rough or some rather dis-
tinctly keeled; eight or nine scales in a row between the nostrils; supraocular
semicircles broadly in contact, with large median scales; occipital about two
thirds size of ear opening, separated from the supraocular semicircles by two or
three rows of small flat scales; supraocular dise consisting of about ten enlarged
flat, polygonal scales, separated from the semicircles by three rows of very
small scales; canthus rostralis consisting of five elongate, prominent scales,
continued posteriorly they form a superciliary ridge which extends to over the

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 139

centre of the eye; loreal rows, six; subocular semicircles of rather large, squarish
feebly keeled scales, scarcely in contact with supralabials, not more than two
scales in contact; nine smooth supralabials, the seventh under the centre of the
eye; temporals very minute, smallest in centre of temporal area; no supra-
temporal ridge; no enlarged dorsal scales; back and sides covered with very
small, flat, almost circular scales; ventrals larger, also rotund, non-imbricating;
a few rows of larger slightly imbricating scales on anterior aspects of limbs;
scales on digits smooth; digits of hind limb moderately long, with well-developed
expansions; about twenty-five lamellae under phalanges II and III of fourth
toe; gular pouch rather well developed in the male, not in female; body not
compressed; no nuchal nor dorsal fold; the adpressed hind limb reaches almost.
to the nostril, tail long, slightly compressed; with verticils on the proximal
portion very slightly indicated, separated by about twelve or thirteen series
of scales; male with slightly enlarged postanal scales.

Colour (in life): — Ashy gray, a light streak along the side of the head,
several chevron-like bands across nape and back, the back and upper surface
of tail with varying dark cross-bands and blotches; limbs faintly cross banded;
lower surfaces, whitish or greenish; dewlap light greenish gray.

Dimensions: — Total length 180 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 63 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 117 mm.
Width of head 10.5 mm.
Fore leg 31 mm.
Hind leg 54 mm.

The Coronel, as this lizard is called about Matanzas on account of its mili-
tary striping or chevron-like bands, is locally abundant. It is found only in
the vicinity of limestone cliffs and is usually seen crawling about on the rocks
at the entrances of the caves so common in these regions. Only rarely is it
found on the trunks of trees and then only on those which grow upon the para-
dones. About Matanzas A. lucius is particularly abundant, on account of
the great limestone caves in the cliffs where the Yumuri River has gradually
cut its way down to its present level. The local peasants believe that the
scattered calls which one hears at night coming from the cliffs of the Abra or
gorge of the Yumuri are made by the Coronel; in reality they are the call of an
Eleutherodactylus. Curiously in the Valley of Luis Lazo the same tinkly bell-
like calls are locally supposed to be made by the Iguana de la Sierra, a Leio-

140 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

cephalus. The distribution of A. lucius is rather limited. Gundlach found it
at Matanzas and the San Miguel hills near Coliseo, and it has been taken also at
Madruga and near Aguacate (Barbour). Barnum Brown collected an example
now in the M. C. Z., in the Sierra de Jatibonico in Santa Clara. The species
extends much farther eastward than we had previously supposed, for it has
been taken near Cienfuegos, at Guaos, in February 1917 (Barbour) and Rodri-
guez has sent us a typical example from Guaimaro, in the Province of Camaguey.

28. .ANOLIS ARGENTEOLUS Cope.

Plate 14, fig. 6.
Lagartija; Lagartijo de Tablado, (Santiago).

Diagnosis: — A slender, long limbed, long tailed, ashy gray Anolis, having
a very large eye and a flat almost spatulate rostrum.

Description: — Adult @ M. C. Z. 7,488. Cuba: Santiago, The Plaza,
1909. Thomas Barbour.

Related to Anolis lucius from which it may be easily distinguished by its
form and colouration. It is much more slender, having a head twice as long
as broad, instead of one and one half times as in luctus; the snout much more
depressed; the white occipital spot and the conspicuous white head-band and
the brown chevrons are wanting in argenteolus.

Top of head with two slightly developed ridges, enclosing, however, a
sharply depressed oval area; head-scales smooth or feebly keeled; about eight
scales in a row between the nostrils; supraocular semicircles very broadly in
contact, the whole median part of each semicircle being composed of a pair of
great plate-like scales; supraocular semicircles consisting of six or seven flat
scales; barely separated from the semicircles by a row of minute granules;
occipital as large as ear opening and in contact with the semicircles; canthus
rostralis scarcely indicated, consisting of four or five slightly enlarged scales,
continued posteriorly it forms a weak superciliary ridge to above the centre of
the eye; loreal rows, seven; subocular semicircles of elongate strongly keeled
scales broadly in contact with supralabials; seven smooth supralabials, the
suture between the sixth and seventh about under the centre of the eye; tem-
porals minute; a very indistinctly defined supratemporal line; whole of back
and sides covered with minute flat scales, almost granular; ventral scales

larger, squarish or rotund, non-imbricating; scales on anterior aspects of limbs

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 141

enlarged and imbricating; on digits imbricating and smooth; body depressed ;
a very feeble nuchal, no dorsal fold; limbs long, the adpressed hind limb reach-
ing to between the large eye and the nostrils; digits of hind limb long, expansions
well developed, about nineteen lamellae under phalanges II and III of the
fourth toe; tail long, almost round, covered with small keeled scales; verticils
on the proximal portion only very feebly indicated, separated by about seven
series of scales; postanal plates very slightly enlarged.

Colour (in life): — Ashy gray or grayish brown, irregularly mottled with
darker gray or brown; a white crescentic line under eye; limbs without cross-
bars; dewlap greenish white.

Dimensions: — Total length 161 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 54 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 107 mm.
Width of head 8 mm.
Fore leg 25 mm.
Hind leg 56 mm.

On the throat of the female of both this species and A. lucius there are brown
longitudinal lines.

Anolis argenteolus is another species which is very partial to the gray lime-
stone cliffs, where, like lucius, its colour affords remarkable protection. It is,
however, much more often than with that species found upon the trunks of
trees or upon the sides of buildings but usually only when they are near out-
croppings of limestone rock. The one chosen for description was taken upon
one of the ‘“‘Spanish laurel” trees in the Plaza opposite the Cathedral in the
city of Santiago. The species is confined to Oriente Province, so far as now
known, but unlike luctus it has a considerable range. We have taken it in the
mountains about Guantanamo; it is also found at San Luis, at Los Negros and
Bueycito in the Sierra Maestra, at Cabo Cruz and Belig (Barbour), and at
various points near Baracoa (de la Torre and V. J. Rodriguez). Thus it
ranges widely in Oriente but has not been taken outside of the Province. Strange
to say it is not found in the city of Guantanamo although it is very common
in the cemetery and on the back yard walls of Santiago. This is the only species
of Anolis which is found so near civilization and in the deep forest as well.
Anolis porcatus and A. sagrei apparently occur now only in cultivated or aban-
doned fields.

Boulenger (Cat. lizards Brit. mus., 1885, 2, p. 45) confused this species

142 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

with A. lucius. It is not improbable that the remarks which he makes regard-
ing the difference between males and females in that species really indicate
that he had both forms. He rarely gives more than ‘‘Cuba”’ for the locality
of any of his Cuban specimens, and the specimen of Anolis cyanopleurus which
he so kindly loaned bore this information only. Very probably lack of data,
poor preservation, and the very small number of specimens available in the
British Museum from Cuba, account for his confusion of these and other local

species.
29. ANOoLIS SAGREI Duméril & Bibron.
Plate 14, fig. 7.
Lagartija comun; Chino (Havana).

Diagnosis: — A stout bodied Anolis, with an uncrested tail, with heavily
keeled ventrals and with the dewlap skin orange-red, the scales black, and the
edge lemon-yellow.

Description: — Adult & M. C. Z. 8,559. Cuba: Havana, El Jardin
Botanico del Instittito de Segunda Ensefianza, March, 1913. Thomas Barbour.

Top of head with two well-bowed ridges, not closely converging anteriorly,
at a point about halfway between eye and nostril the ridges separated by four
scales; head-seales either keeled or strongly rugose; about six scales in a row
between the nostrils; supraocular semicircles separated by one row of. keeled
scales; occipital rather small, in a depressed area, about half the size of ear
opening; separated from the semicircles by three or four small but strongly
keeled scales; supraocular discs well defined composed of five or six large and
a number of lesser scales, some almost flat, some weakly keeled, dises separated
from the semicircles by a row of small scales; canthus rostralis distinet, com-
posed of about three very elongate scales, two long scales overlapping form a
superciliary ridge reaching to about the middle of the eye; loreal rows, four;
the lower loreal row is enlarged and passes backward below the eye in contact
with the supralabials, so that there is no true subocular semicircle; about five
large smooth supralabials, the fourth under the eye; temporals keeled, those of
the central temporal area very small, almost granular; a faintly indicated supra-
temporal line; scales of back and sides keeled, about eight middorsal rows
enlarged, more strongly keeled and more imbricating; ventrals larger than the
largest dorsals, imbricating and strongly keeled, the keels continuous; scales
of anterior aspects of fore and hind limbs slightly larger than the ventrals,
strongly keeled and imbricating; body stout, rather compressed; a very faint

— so

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 143

nuchal and anterior dorsal fold, capable, however, of more extended voluntary
elevation in life; limbs medium short, digits well dilated, the adpressed hind
limb reaches to the posterior border of the orbit; about sixteen lamellae under
phalanges II and III of the fourth toe; tail rather long, strongly compressed
with very indistinct verticils, separated by about five rows of scales; the limit-
ing rows but slightly enlarged; no ‘fin’ upon tail; postanal scales slightly
enlarged.

Colour (in life): — Very varied in the fully adults, usually black or brown
more or less uniform, pale below; the dewlap skin brick-red with black seales
and a yellow margin. In young lizards there is generally either a light band
along the back or a series of more or less distinct separated or confluent pale
rhombic markings.

Dimensions: — Total length 165 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 61 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 104 mm.
Width of head 10.5 mm.
Fore limb 25.5 mm.
Hind limb - 46 mm.

In this species as well as the two following the males have a markedly
developed, erectile nuchal fold which is extended simultaneously with the
expansion of the dewlap.

This is the common lizard of the roadside fences and garden walls. It is
excessively abundant, one of the commonest lizards in the world where it occurs.
It is usually found in the lowlands and it is very rare or entirely absent in the
more thickly forested areas. It is found all over Cuba but far more abundantly
in the Provinces of Havana and Pinar del Rio than elsewhere for here cultiva-
tion has cleared the face of the countryside more than in the less densely popu-
lated Provinces of Camaguey and Oriente.

Anolis sagrei occurs upon the hot dry coastal plain near Kingston, Jamaica,
whence the U. 8. N. M. has received specimens some of which are now in the
M. C. Z. The senior author did not find it when collecting about Kingston
in 1909 and it may have been accidentally introduced. It is recorded by Boul-
enger from Belize and Caracas but these records are very unlikely and the
specimens should be compared with topotypes from Cuba. In ease they are
the same further collecting is needed to show that we have not to deal with
mistakes in labeling. The Belize record is possible but improbable, the Caracas
record seemingly wholly impossible.

144 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

30.. ANOLIS GREYI Barbour.
Plate 7, fig. 3.
Lagartija.

Diagnosis: — A heavy, stockily built Anolis very like A. sagrei but with
larger head-scales and without the enlarged keeled imbricating middorsals.

Description: —Typn. Adult o M.C. Z. 7,890. Cuba: Camagiiey, April,
1909. Thomas Barbour.

Very similar to A. sagrez, distinguished by the almost perfectly homogeneous
dorsal squamation; the larger and flatter scales about the occipital and the
fewer scales, only one or two, between the frontal ridges, which are more parallel,
much less bowed than in A. sagret. In A. greyi the head is flatter, more de-
pressed, so that the profile is not so declivous as in A. sagrev.

Colour (in life): — Similar to sagrei but lighter. Dewlap colour unnoted.

Dimensions: — Total length 152 mm.
Vent to tip of snout 57 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 95 mm.
Width of head ° 9 mm.
Fore leg 25 mm.
Hind leg 39.5 mm.

While collecting about the city of Camagitiey in 1909 a few of these Anoles
were secured in the garden near the Camagitiey Hotel, among a large series of
A. sagrei (Barbour). Dr. Carlos de la Torre in 1914 captured a small series,
none adult, in the Sierra de Cubitas, north of the city, which we believe are
referable to the same species. Except for these few data, merely the facts
that the species occurred with sagrei and frequented cultivated gardens, nothing
is known regarding its habits nor distribution. We have both searched for it

in vain on subsequent visits in the exact type-locality.

31. ANOLIS BREMERI Barbour.
Plate’ 6, fig. 5.
Lagartija.
Diagnosis: — A mottled grayish or brownish Anolis, distinguished by
an enormously developed dewlap of rich maroon-brown.
Description: —Tyrr. Adult # M.C. Z. 7,889. Cuba: Pinar del Rio;
Herradura, February, 1912. Thomas Barbour.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 145

Top of head with two curved frontal ridges which converge anteriorly and
inclose a shallow frontal depression; head-scales-including those of the supra-
ocular dise all strongly keeled; supraocular semicircles separated by a single
row of scales, three of which are elongate and elevated to form a short median
ridge; occipital about the size of the ear opening and separated from the supra-
ocular semicircle by two or three rows of scales; supraocular dise composed of
eight polygonal keeled scales, separated from the semicircle by a single row of
very small granules, polygonal or elongate scales; canthus rostralis composed
of few scales, one extremely elongated in the middle of the series, flanked by
other less elongate on either side; superciliary ridge consisting of one very long
anterior shield, followed by a number of much smaller scales; loreal rows, five;
subocular semicircle strongly keeled; supralabials six, suture between fourth
and fifth being about under centre of eye; temporal scales small and granular,
bordered above by a rather irregular zone of enlarged scales, which extends
from the posterior border of the orbit to a point some distance above the ear
opening; dorsals small, flat, smooth, showing no tendency to imbricate, a median
zone consisting of from three to four series of enlarged more or less distinctly
keeled scales; this zone commences at about the region of the fore limbs; ven-
trals much larger than dorsals, imbricate and distinctly but’ not strongly keeled;
fore limbs above with rows of very strongly keeled and enlarged scales, similar
seales present an anterior aspect of thighs; subdigital expansions feebly devel-
oped consisting of about 18 lamellae under phalanges II and III of the fourth
toe. Tail strongly compressed with about fifteen evident verticils along its
proximal region; such verticil is separated by about seven vertical rows of
keeled scales; upper edge feebly serrate, each segment with four small spines;
dewlap very Jarge and capable of great dilation, extending along the midventral
line to a point considerably posterior to the line of the axillae; a very few feebly
enlarged postanal scales; no dorsal fold.

Colour (in life): — Grayish or reddish brown, variously clouded or spotted
with blotches and many bands of dark brown or black, belly pale ashy or green-

ish; dewlap fine lustrous maroon.

Dimensions: — Total length 143 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 58 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 85 mm.
Tip of snout to ear 17 mm.
Width of head 10.5 mm.
Fore leg 26 mm.

Hind leg 46 mm.

146 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

Since the discovery of the type in February, 1912, no additional specimens
have been reported. The lizard was found resting upon the thatched roof of
a peasant’s house several miles north of Herradura.

32. ANOLIS LOYSIANA (Cocteau).
Plate 3, fig. 4; Plate 7, fig. 4.
Lagartija.

Diagnosis: — A small depressed grayish lizard, the sides of whose body
and tail are closely beset with spine-like projecting scales; colour resembles
closely a gray lichen.

Description: — Adult M. Z. C. 8,511. Cuba: Oriente; Jiguani, Los Negros.
Thomas Barbour.

Top of head with two ridges which first converge to enclose a shallow de-
pressed area paved with five or six flat polygonal scales, then the ridges extend
forward parallel and rather ill defined to near the tip of the snout; head-scales
in general flat or slightly rugose; about five or six scales between the nostrils;
supraocular semicircles in contact for at least half their extent; occipital about
twice as large as ear opening, separated anteriorly from the semicircles by one
large irregularly pentagonal scale; supraocular dise consisting of four trans-
verse scales much longer than wide, separated from the semicircles by a double
row of minute scales; canthus rostralis consisting of five or six strongly keeled
scales diminishing in size anteriorly; loreal rows three; subocular semicircles
composed of rather rough enlarged scales which are widely in contact with the
supralabials; six or seven smooth supralabials, the sixth lying under the centre
of the eye; temporals flat, polygonal, pavement-like, smallest in the centre
but nowhere granular, no supratemporal line; two middorsal rows very slightly
enlarged, not keeled; rest of back and sides covered with small flat scales,
except for scattered protuberances covered with several scales, the apical one
of which is strongly enlarged, conical and projecting; on the limbs and tail
these projecting spine-like scales also occur abundantly; ventral scales small,
flat and slightly imbricating; gular appendage small; the adpressed hind limb
reaches the shoulder; digital expansions well developed; about twenty-four
lamellae under phalanges II and III of the fourth toe; tail cylindrical, about
as long as head and body; with an irregular dorsal series of enlarged imbricating

scales, many scattered spine-like scales and no trace of verticils.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 147

Colour (in life): — Very light gray above with fine narrow cross-bands and
anastomosing lines and spots of dark gray, or mauve. The whole effect is soft
gray. The lower surfaces are white.

Dimensions: — Total length 60 mm. (tail imperfect)
Tip of snout to vent 30 mm.
Tip of snout to ear 8 mm.
Width of head 6 mm.
Fore leg 13.5 mm.
Hind leg 19 mm.

Anolis loysiana is by no means a common lizard or at least it is by no means
easy to find. It is a curious looking, rather sluggish, flat little creature, relying
upon its wonderful protective coloration to escape notice. It is found usually
upon the rough grayish bark of trees and on bark like that of the Ceiba (Bombyx)
it is literally invisible unless it moves, The example described from Los Negros
in the Sierra Maestra was taken upon gray limestone, the rocky bank cut down
by a rapid torrent (Barbour); two examples from Bayate, Oriente (Ramsden),
and one from San Diego de los Bafios (Palmer and Riley) are important in that
they show that the spine-like scales are not confined to the males as stated
by Boulenger (Cat. lizards Brit. mus., 1885, 2, p. 42). He considered Anolis
argillaceus Cope a synonym of this species and probably concluded from Cope’s
description being in some respects similar, but mentioning no spines, it repre-
sented the female of A. loysiana. As a matter of fact it is not very closely
related; loysiana is found, as stated by Gundlach, all over Cuba wherever
forested areas offer a suitable habitat.

33. ANOLIS ARGILLACEUS Cope.

Plate 7, fig. 6.
Lagartija.

Diagnosis: — A small, very thickset, short limbed Anolis, with excessively
small granular scales upon the body, with rather ill-defined verticils upon the
cylindrical tail. Mottled brown in colour with usually a light longitudinal
streak along the body and a very dark brown band across the head between the
eyes.

Description: — Adult # M. C. Z. 10,707. Cuba: Oriente; Bayate, 1913.
C. T. Ramsden.

Top of head with very faintly indicated frontal ridges, which inclose a

148 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

more or less circular and very slightly depressed area paved with three flat
polygonal scales; ridges not indicated on the snout; head-scales all flat; about
four scales in a row between the nostrils; supraocular semicircles (as in loystana)
composed of large scales broadly in contact their entire distance along the
median line; occipital large, about twice as large as ear opening, separated from
the supraocular semicircles by two rows of pavement-like polygonal scales;
supraocular dise consisting of an anterior large scale, two smaller scales and a
fourth very small scale, all the four so fitting one another as to compose an oval
pattern (in other specimens the oval disc may be composed of only two scales) ;
dise separated from semicircle by one or two rows of scales; canthus rostralis
consisting of about four slightly elongate scales, canthus prolonged backward
to a point above centre of eye. Loreal rows, two or three; seven smooth supra-
labials, suture between sixth and seventh under the centre of the eye; temporals
mostly flat but smallest and slightly tubercular in the centre of the temporal
area. Supratemporal line indicated by a row of flat Juxtaposed scales; no en-
larged dorsals, back and sides covered with minute brown or oblong flat or
slightly tubercular scales, homogenous in character; ventrals larger, slightly
imbricate and perfectly smooth; scales of the anterior aspect of fore and hind
limb enlarged, smooth and imbricating; limbs short, digits shorter than usual
in the genus; the hind limb being adpressed forward reaches about the ear
opening; digital expansions moderately developed, about twenty lamellae
under phalanges II and III of fourth toe; tail rather long and slender, much
more than twice as long as head and body, slightly compressed at the base,
covered with keeled and imbricating scales with verticils at intervals of about
six or seven scales; two well-developed postanal plates.

Colour (aleoholic specimen): — Body grayish of rather a light tone, mottled
and spotted with darker; dewlap pinkish shading to orange at the margin; a
dark postoccipital spot and a dark band between the eyes.

Dimensions: — Total length 121 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 36 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 85 mm.
Tip of snout to ear 12.5 mm.
Width of head 8 mm.
Fore leg 14 mm.
Hind leg 25 mm.

Generally speaking the colouration of this species is composed of longi-

tudinal light and dark stripes along the body and one light lateral band at least

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 149

is almost always present. It was first taken by Charles Wright at the Cafetal
Monte Verde in the Sierra de Yateras, and rediscovered there; it has also been
collected at Monte Libano, at Bayate near Guantanamo and at La Maya
(Ramsden), and seems to be entirely confined to eastern Oriente. Curiously
enough it is found most frequently in the coffee groves of the damp mountain
forests. A few specimens, however, have been secured in lowlands about three
miles 8. E. of Guantanamo City and upon Guasima trees at the San Carlos
sugar plantation. It is a slow moving, rather chunky, thickset Anolis, not
depressed like loysiana and very different in appearance from any other in Cuba.
The character of the head-scales recalls the condition in loysiana, but the tail
is entirely different, much longer and differently formed, there are no spine-like
projecting scales as in that species, and the dewlap is very much larger.

34. ANOLIS SPECTRUM Peters.

Plate 7, fig. 5.
Lagartija.

Diagnosis: — An excessively long and slender Anolis, head nearly three
times as long as broad; grayish or greenish with a conspicuous white spot on
the elbows.

Description: — Head nearly three times as long as broad, longer than the
tibia; forehead concave; upper head-scales smooth; scales of the supraorbital
semicircles large, separated by one series of scales; three or four enlarged, keeled
supraocular scales, in contact with the supraorbitals; occipital nearly as large
as the ear opening, separated from the supraorbitals by one or two series of
scales; canthus rostralis feebly marked; loreal rows, four; eight supralabials;
ear opening moderately large, roundish; gular appendage small; gular scales
keeled; body compressed; no nuchal nor dorsal fold; six or eight longitudinal
series of large, hexagonal, keeled dorsal scales, which are broader than long,
and at least twice as large, as the ventrals; lateral scales very small, granular;
ventral scales keeled; the adpressed hind limb reaches between the ear and the
eye; tail round or slightly compressed, covered with large strongly keeled
scales, the keels forming continuous lines; its length more than twice that of
head and body (after Boulenger).

Colour (alcoholic specimen) :— Yellowish gray or metallic green above, the
sides of the body brown; a sharply defined white spot at the elbow.

150 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

Dimensions: — Total length 150 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 40 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 110 mm.
Width of head 4.5 mm.
Fore leg 13 mm.
Hind leg 28 mm.

No one except Gundlach himself has ever taken this species. We have
searched for it in vain. Gundlach remarks that he found it only in “monte,”
as a certain sort of lowland forest is called in Cuba, in the jurisdictions of Ma-
tanzas and Cardenas. He adds that the species is rare. We believe the only
specimen preserved in America is the imperfect one, in the Museo Gundlach
of the Institute de Segunda Ensefianza in Havana. It is a strange looking
wraith of a lizard, so slender that it resembles a fine twig as closely as the well-
known walking sticks (phasmids) do. In 1918 we again examined the type as
carefully, as possible, at a distance of perhaps sixteen or eighteen inches, for
the case is kept permanently sealed at Gundlach’s most earnest request. We
conclude that the species may probably be a synonym of Anolis alutaceus, but
had best be kept separate until the types can be reéxamined.

35. ANOLIS CYANOPLEURUS Cope.
Plate 4, fig. 1; Plate 6, fig. 6; Plate 8, fig. 1-3.

Diagnosis: — A small slender greenish Anolis, having long low almost
parallel frontal ridges, a few rows of enlarged scales in a light streak along the
middle of the back, and a very long tail without distinct verticils.

Description: — Adult? @ Brit. Mus. N. H. 65.6.12.18. Cuba: Juan
Gundlach.

Top of head with two nearly parallel and closely approximated frontal
ridges, which are not greatly developed and border a shallow frontal trough;
head-seales very feebly to rather distinctly keeled; about eight scales in a row
between the nostrils; supraoculars semicircles separated by one or two scales;
occipital large but somewhat smaller than ear opening, separated from the
supraocular semicircles by but two rows of scales; supraocular disc consisting
of three or four greatly enlarged irregularly shaped polygonal scales and several
smaller ones, separated from the semicircles by a row of still smaller scales;
canthus rostralis consisting of about five or six narrow elongate scales, con-
tinued posteriorly, these form a superciliary ridge of elongate scales which

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 151

separate the supraocular granules from those surrounding the eye; loreal rows,
five; subocular semicircles of strongly keeled scales broadly in contact with
the supralabials; six or seven smooth supralabials, suture between fourth and
fifth under the centre of the eye; temporals very finely granular in the centre
with a very feebly indicated supratemporal line; about eight dorsal rows of
seales distinctly enlarged, of these the median four rows with a moderately
well-developed keel, two median rows slightly imbricate, others juxtaposed;
rest of back and sides covered with minute granules; ventral scales as large
as or a little larger than the largest middorsals, slightly imbricate and feebly
but evidently keeled; scales of forelimbs imbricate either uni- or pluricarinate,
on hind limbs all imbricate seales with two or three keels; scales on upper surface
of digits pluricarinate; digits of hind limbs very long and slender, the expansion
very feebly developed; about twenty-seven lamellae under phalanges II and
III of fourth toe; tail very long, much more than twice as long as head and
body, slightly compressed at the base, covered with subequal keeled scales,
with scarcely any indication whatever of verticils, with but the very faintest
indication of a serrated edge above; postanal plates very slightly developed ( 9 ?).
Colour (aleoholic specimen) : — Body greenish, a lighter and bronzy dorsal
stripe not very sharply defined; limbs brown, tail lighter in tone than body.

Dimensions: — Total length 127 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 38 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 89 mm.
Tip of snout to ear 9 mm.
Width of head 5.5 mm.
Fore leg 13 mm.
Hind leg 30 mm.

So far on none of our excursions have we ever been able to find this fine
little Anolis, hence we know of it only from the literature. Cope described
it (Proce. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1861, p. 211) from the famous Cafetal “Monte
Verde” in the Sierra de Yateras of Guantanamo. The types were secured by
Charles Wright and were catalogued 5,737 in the Smithsonian collection; they
have apparently been lost. Gundlach found specimens, some of which he sent
to Peters and one of these was figured by Bocourt (Miss. sci. Mex., pl. 16, fig.
29). It is interesting to compare a facsimile of his figure with one of Mr.
Fischer’s excellent drawings, the latter made from one of three specimens which
Peters sent in exchange to the British Museum. For the opportunity of ex-

152 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

amining this example we have to thank Dr. G. A. Boulenger, and the Trustees
of the British Museum.

It will be noted that Bocourt’s figure shows the head-scales overlapping,
which is not the observed condition, although in general the arrangement of
the scales seems fairly accurately drawn. That he has the head too broad
may be in part due to the possibility that he had a male before him. The
position of the occipital, however, is such as to make it quite possible that he
had some other species.

The figured specimen, as will be seen by comparing the description given
herewith, agrees sufficiently well with Cope’s original notice to make it reason-
ably sure that Peters was correct in assigning this one of Gundlach’s specimens
to Anolis cyanopleurus.

Unfortunately, Gundlach in his Erpetologia Cubana (1880, p. 48) has not
much to say of the habits or distribution. He only states

“He observado esta especie en bosques de la vecindad del pueblo de Cimarrones en la
jurisdiccion de Cardenas y en la Sierra Maestra del departmento oriental. Es una especie

muy tara.”

Concerning the colour in life, however, Gundlach gives us an excellent
account. He describes a living example from the Sierra Maestra as follows: —

“Ojo muy oscuro, casi negro, con un circulo azul al rededor de la pupila. EI color
general es olivado-pardo, claro; encima de la cabeza, del dorso y la raiz del rabo hay manchitas
irregulares confluentes negruzcas. El rabo ['] en su mitad final es negruzco tanto por encima
como por debajo. Las partes inferiores son mds pajizas, y el borde de la mandibula superior,
debajo del ojo y la garganta son blancuzcos; hay dtomos negros en las extremidades y una
mancha negruzca sobre el codo y la choquezuela, ademas manchitas en el resto de las extremi-
dades; 2 del rabo ['] hasta la punta blancuzcos con 4tomos y algunas manchitas negruzcas.

Su forma es delgada, el rabo tiene 3 veces el largo del cuerpo. El] tamano total llega 4
53 pulgadas.

Descripcion de un ejemplar de Cimarrones.

Cabeza ceniciento-verde; nuca lo mismo, pero mas pilida. A lo largo del dorso, hasta
donde hay escamas mayores, esta una faja pajiza; flancos ceniciento-verdes 6 azulosos, los
margenes hacia arriba mas oscuros. A lo largo de la mandibula superior se extiende una
linea palida 6 pajiza, pero con los bordes atin mas palidos.

Otro ejemplar tenia sobre la faja dorsal algunas manchas oscuras; sobre el intermedio
de las extremidades posteriores se ve una mancha en forma de V (con el apice dirigido hacia
atras). Los flancos estén tambien manchado de oscuro, ‘y la faja blancuzca de la mandibula
superior se contintia 4 lo largo del lado del cuerpo con una faja palida, 4 intervalos (principal-
mente en el sobaco) bordada de negro.”

This it will be observed is a colouration not so very different from that of the
example in the British Museum which we have had for study.

[‘] Here there is a curious and evident contradiction.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 153

Just as this paper was ready for the press the junior author succeeded in
finding this beautiful little species at La Aleachofa in the Sierra de Yateras, near
Guantanamo; the very region whence the type came and doubtless near one
of Gundlach’s localities, for he found it near Cimarrones and ‘‘in the eastern
part of the island.”

The species is very lovely, the style of colouration very fine. The sharply
defined dorsal zone is russet with or without narrow cross-markings; the sides
grass-green, the belly clear white as also the lip margins. The dewlap seems
inconspicuous and ashen gray.

The long fine tail, the slender form and many details of squamation recall

sharply A. semilineatus of Haiti and San Domingo.

36. ANOLIS ALUTACEUS Cope.

Plate 9, fig. 1.
Lagratija.

Diagnosis: — A beautiful little brown woodland Anolis, almost as slender
as A. spectrum (quod vide) but with smooth ventral scales.

Description: — Adult & M. C. Z. 8,465. Cuba: Jiguanf, Los Negros
(High Sierra Maestra), March, 1913. Thomas Barbour.

Top of head with two low almost parallel ridges, converging anteriorly,
enclosing a very long, trench-like depression, paved with slightly rugose scales;
head-scales generally multistriate, sometimes simply rugose; about eight scales
in a row between the nostrils; supraocular semicircles not strongly marked,
separated by one row of small scales; occipital irregularly oval, slightly larger
than ear opening, separated from the semicircles by several rows of scales;
supraocular discs large, irregular, composed of about six or seven enlarged, many
keeled scales, in contact with the semicircles or separated by one row of very
small scales; canthus rostralis composed of about five scales, not prominent,
supraciliary ridge very indistinct; loreal rows, five; subocular semicircles
distinct, composed of several large keeled scales, widely in contact with supra-
labials; about nine smooth supralabials, suture between seventh and eighth
being about under centre of eye; temporals, especially the central scales, very
small; no trace of supratemporal ridge; gular appendage small and elongate;
about eight rows of enlarged weakly keeled middorsals, other dorsals and lat-
erals minute; ventrals smooth and round or oblong, parchment-like, not im-

154 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

bricating; scales of anterior aspects of fore and hind limbs strongly enlarged,
keeled and imbricate; body slender cylindrical or slightly compressed; no
nuchal nor dorsal fold; limbs very slender, the adpressed hind limb reaching
to between the orbit and nostril; about seventeen lamellae under phalanges
Il and III of the fourth toe; digital dilation very slight; tail round, very slender,
covered with rather large keeled and imbricate scales, no trace of verticils; no |
enlarged postanal scales.

Colour (in life): — Varying shades of brown from light golden cinnamon
to deep umber, often a light dorsal zone, this may or may not have within it a
dark series of dorsal spots; head with varying light and dark cross-bands and
longitudinal stripes; lower parts and dewlap (which is scarcely extensible) pale

brown.
Dimensions: — Total length 120 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 35.5 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 84.5 mm.
Width of head 4.5 mm.
Fore limb 13 mm.
Hind limb 28 mm.

Anolis alutaceus was another of the discoveries made by Charles Wright,
at the old Cafetal ‘‘Monte Verde” in the Sierra de Yateras near Guantanamo.
One of Wright’s original specimens, a type, is now before us (M. C. Z. 10,932),
secured through the kind offices of Dr. Leonhard Stejneger by exchange from
the U. S. N. M. In the M. C. Z. there are other specimens from Madruga,
Cienfuegos, Mayajigua, Sierra de Cubitas, Monte Libano as well as from the
forests of the Sierra Maestra (Cafetal “El Alto”’ above Los Negros), where
the species was fairly abundant (de la Torre and Barbour). In the collection
of the junior author there are many others from the mountain forests about
Guantanamo. This slender little lizard is by no means easy to find, unless
one happens to see it move. It is usually entirely confined to forested areas,
apparently more abundant in highland than in lowland forest but found in both.
One observed crossing the hot, white and dusty ‘‘calzada” between Madruga
and Aguacate at high noon crept leisurely across the burning limestone road
and it was most surprising that so tiny a creature did not parch and blow away.
We have observed it feeding upon the ants which swarm along the twigs of so
many Cuban forest trees. In common with, we believe, all members of the
genus, this species lays a single oblong egg under‘a bit of half decayed bark.
One such egg was found near Baire with an almost ripe embryo (Barbour).

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 155

37. ANOLIS HOMOLECHIS Cope.

Plate 14, fig. 8.
Lagartija.

Diagnosis: — A dark coloured, woodland Anolis, one of the few Cuban
species having, in the adults, a conspicuous fin-like crest upon the tail and the
only species having a pure, ivory-white dewlap.

Description: — Adult & M. C. Z. 8,575. Cuba: near Matanzas. Carlos
de la Torre.

Top of head with two almost parallel ridges of keeled scales, extending
but half way to tip of snout and separated by first one then two rows of
keeled scales; head-scales all sharply keeled; about six scales in a row between
the nostrils; supraocular semicircles are formed by backward extensions of
frontal ridges, and are separated by one row of scales; occipital oval, much
smaller than ear opening, separated from the semicircles by two or three rows
of scales; supraocular dise much differentiated, composed of a number of vari-
ously enlarged, keeled scales, separated from the semicircles by one row of very
small scales; canthus rostralis sharply defined, composed of four or five keeled
elongate scales; extending backward it forms a superciliary ridge which reaches
to over the posterior portion of the eye; loreal rows, four or five; subocular
semicircles distinct, sharply depressing the supralabials; about ten smooth
supralabials, the suture between the seventh and eighth under the centre of
the eye; temporals fine and granular, a faintly indicated supratemporal line;
dorsal and lateral scales minute and granular, two middorsal rows of granules
slightly enlarged; ventrals large, smooth, cycloid, strongly imbricating; scales
of anterior aspects of fore and hind limbs enlarged, imbricating and strongly
keeled; body stout, no nuchal nor dorsal fold, limbs well developed, the ad-
pressed hind limb reaches the anterior border of the orbit; digits much dilated,
about seventeen lamellae under phalanges II and III of the fourth toe; tail not
greatly elongated, very strongly compressed, surmounted by a highly developed
fin-like crest; the whole caudal squamation regularly divided by verticils, the
scales on the tail between the limiting rows small, increasing in size on the fin
progressively upward, the fin surmounted by fine saw-like teeth three between
each verticil, the fourth enlarged and forming the upper scale of each limiting
row; postanal scales very slightly if at all enlarged.

156 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

Colour (in life): — Dark rich brown almost black, when at rest; when
disturbed may become light brown with darker dorsal rhombs; lower surfaces

paler; dewlap pure white. (Specimens from various localities).

Dimensions: — Total length 147 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 57 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 90 mm.
Width of head 10.5 mm.
Fore leg 13.5 mm.
Hind leg 45 mm.

This lizard is the most common and widely distributed of all the Cuban
species which are strictly confined to a woodland habitat. We have found it
in all of the provinces and in greater or less abundance in all the woodland areas
examined. It is evidently most at home on the tree-trunks of some sunlit
jungle glade where insects abound. In such spots the males may often be seen
bobbing their heads up and down as they flash the pure white of their widely
expanding dewlap. When shot or otherwise wounded their tail has a peculiar
way of convulsively rolling up, which almost suggests a prehensile usage, such
as we have never observed. Cope founded this species upon a specimen in the
British Museum which had only ‘‘West Indies” as data. Until the type can
be examined there will remain some doubt as to the real status of homolechis,
for Cope’s description leaves much to be desired and even Boulenger’s was pub-
lished before anyone realized how many were the species of Anolis and how
similar many of them are to each other.

38. ANOLIS RUBRIBARBUS, sp. Nov.

Plate 9, fig. 2, 3.
Lagartija.

Diagnosis: — A rather stockily built Anolis, having in the male a high
fin-like crest upon the tail, smooth ventral scales and a dewlap light red with a
yellow margin and crossed obliquely by three bars of a much deeper red.

Description: —Tyrr. Adult & M. C. Z. 11,941. Cuba: Oriente; El
Puerto de Cananova, near Sagua de Tinamo, May, 1916. V. J. Rodriguez y
Verrier.

Top of head with two rather short and but slightly bowed ridges, enclosing
a distinctly depressed area; ridges at their greatest width from each other

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 157

separated by about five rows of rugose or tricarinate scales; head-seales gener-
ally keeled or rugose; about seven scales in a row between the nostrils; supra-
ocular semicircles separated by two or three rows of rugose or keeled scales:
occipital oval, about one half the size of ear opening; separated from the semi-
circles by about four rows of scales: supraocular discs large, not very sharply
defined, composed of a large number of not very greatly enlarged, keeled scales;
canthus rostralis prominent, composed of about seven keeled scales, extending
almost to nostril, extending backward it forms a distinct superciliary ridge
which extends posteriorly to the centre of the eye; loreal rows, seven: subocular
semicircles composed of large keeled scales, broadly in contact with supralabials;
eight smooth supralabials, the suture between the sixth and seventh being
about under the centre of the eye; temporals granular, the central scales of the
temporal area smallest, a faintly indicated supratemporal line; scales of back
and sides small and granular, no enlarged middorsals; ventrals large, cycloid,
imbricating, smooth; scales of anterior aspect of both fore and hind limbs
enlarged, imbricating and strongly keeled; body short and strongly compressed ;
a well-defined nuchal and dorsal fold; the adpressed hind limb reaches almost
to the nostril; about seventeen lamellae under phalanges II and III of the
fourth toe; digital dilations well developed; tail very strongly compressed,
with a high “fin”; each section of the fin composed of about nine rows of scales
which are rather uniform in size (not increasing in size in a dorsal direction as
in homolechis); the scales of the limiting rows are not very greatly enlarged upon
either tail or ‘fin’; postanal scales not conspicuously enlarged.

Colour (freshly killed specimen) : — Grayish brown, darker vertical bands
upon body and tail; throat in both males and females streaked longitudinally ;
scattered light dots upon lips and sides; dewlap very large, of a rather brilliant
light brick-red, edged with light yellow, almost white upon the thickened mar-
gin and crossed by three deep carmine oblique bands upon the light brick-red
ground.

Dimensions: — Total length (tail slightly mutilated) 130 mm.

Vent to tip of tail 55 mm.
Width of head 7.5+ mm.
Fore leg 25 mm.
Hind leg 48 mm.

We little expected so remarkable a novelty as the one here described,
when in the spring of 1916 Senor Rodriguez started on a collecting trip to the
northern coastal region of eastern Oriente. The greatly developed fin with its

158 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

singularly homogeneous squamation as well as the very peculiar colouration
of the dewlap serve at once to distinguish it from any other species. Beside
securing a small series near Cananova, a single adult male was found out on the
Farallones of Cabo Maisi itself. We know nothing of its wider distribution
nor of its habits.

39. ANOLIS QUADRIOCELLIFER, Sp. Nov.

Plate 10, fig. 1.
Lagartija.

Diagnosis: — A rather thickset Anolis, bearing a well-developed fin upon
the tail and having upon each side a large very dark brown blotch upon a light
brown ground, the blotch completely surrounded by more or less confluent
small pure white dots.

Description: —Typr. Adult # M.C. Z. 11,867. Cuba: Cabo San An-
tonio, Ensenada de Cajon, 1914. Carlos de la Torre.

Top of head with two very short parallel ridges; separated by two or three
rows of keeled scales; head-scales all sharply keeled; about eight scales in a row
between the nostrils; supraocular semicircles separated by a partly single,
partly double row of keeled scales; occipital irregular almost round, much
smaller than ear opening, separated from the semicircles by two or three small
seales; canthus rostralis distinct of three or four elongate scales, continued
backward as a superciliary crest to over centre of eye; loreal rows, four; sub-
ocular semicircles short, composed of a few long, keeled scales, broadly in con-
tact with supralabials; seven smooth supralabials, sixth under eye; temporals
granular, the central group very minute, a series of slightly enlarged scale
forming a faintly defined supratemporal line; scales of back and sides granular,
the two middorsal rows slightly enlarged; ventrals large, round, smooth, and
strongly imbricate; scales of anterior aspect of fore and hind limb enlarged,
strongly keeled and imbricate; body short, compressed; a distinct nuchal
continuous with a distinct dorsal fold; limbs rather short, the adpressed hind
limb reaching just beyond the ear opening; about eighteen lamellae under
phalanges II and III of fourth toe; tail very strongly compressed, surmounted
by a well-developed fin, the whole tail and fin segmented into verticils, each
limiting row separated by seven scales on side of tail (where the limiting rows
are faintly defined) and separated on the fin by five rows where the limiting

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 159

rows are well enlarged and perfectly evident; on the upper edge of the fin three
saw-tooth scales separate the uppermost scale of two limiting rows; postanal
seales slightly enlarged.

Colour (in aleohol): — Brown, dark above, light beneath; on each side of
the thoracic region two very dark blotches surrounded by more or less confluent
small white spots. The dewlap appears to have been pink.

This interesting novelty was discovered by Dr. Carlos de la Torre of the
University of Havana during the cruise of the Tomas Barrera while collect-
ing molluses at Cabo San Antonio, the western extremity of Cuba, as the guest
of John B. Henderson, Esq., of Washington. Three specimens were secured, in
asmall wooded area near the Ensenada de Cajon on the north coast of the Cape.
All three specimens are in exact agreement with regard to the peculiar coloura-
tion. From this fact it is very probable that as with certain other colour-char-
acters in species of Anolis these dark spots surrounded with white dots repre-
sent a permanent colour-pattern, while the ground colour of the rest of the
body may vary a great deal.

40. ANOLIS ALLOGUS, sp. nov.
Plate 10, fig. 2.
Lagartija.

Diagnosis: — A heavy thickset Anolis, confined to woodlands, having a
strongly compressed tail with a well-developed “fin”; smooth ventral scales
and dewlap carmine in the centre surrounded by a broad marginal zone of
brilliant yellow.

Description: — Typ. Adult # M.C. Z. 8,544. Cuba: Oriente: Bueycito
near Bayamo (Sierra Maestra), 1913, Cuban Exped. Carlos de la Torre, Thomas
Barbour, and V. J. Rodriguez.

Top of head with two short, rather indistinct, widely bowed ridges, where
farthest apart separated by three or four series of faintly keeled or rugose scales;
head-scales weakly keeled or rugose; about nine scales in a row between the
nostrils; supraocular semicircles separated by two rows of keeled scales; occi-
pital roughly rotund, in a distinctly depressed area, less than one half the size
of the ear opening; separated from the semicircles by four or five rows of slightly
enlarged rugose scales; supraocular dises irregular, composed of twelve to
fourteen enlarged weakly keeled scales, separated from the semicircles by a
single row of granules; canthus rostralis distinct, of five or six scales, prolonged

160 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

posteriorly it forms a distinct superciliary ridge to over the hinder third of the
eye; loreal rows, five; subocular semicircles not very distinct, composed of
enlarged but rather weakly keeled scales, in contact with supralabials; eight
supralabials, the posterior two weakly keeled, the sixth under the centre of the
eye; temporals granular, those of the central temporal area smallest, a faintly
indicated supratemporal line; scales of back and sides minute and granular,
about four middorsal rows slightly enlarged, weakly keeled and slightly imbri-
cating; ventrals larger but not very large, smooth, cycloid, and imbricating;
scales of anterior aspects of fore and hind limbs enlarged, keeled and imbricating;
body short and compressed, a well-developed nuchal but scarcely a trace of a
dorsal fold; limbs rather long, the adpressed hind limb reaches to between
eye and nostril; about fifteen lamellae under phalanges II and III of fourth toe;
digital dilatations well developed; tail rather long, strongly compressed; a
fold along the top of the tail has a slight tendency toward a “fin” (in old males
the ‘‘fin”’ may be well developed but it does not appear to be invariably equally
high); tail with evident verticils, limiting rows separated by about eight scales
on upper part of side of tail and by only about four or five on the lower part
of the side; postanal scales not distinctly enlarged.

Colour (in life): — Varying shades of brown or blackish with or without
dorsal rhomboid markings, the rhombs often becoming confluent and forming
a light middorsal zone; throat with a mesh of gray lines, lower surfaces light
brown or ochraceous; dewlap enormously developed (as in A. bremeri) with a
rich carmine spot upon a brilliant yellow ground.

Dimensions: — Total length 166 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 62 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 104 mm.
Width of head 10.5 mm.
Fore leg 29 mm.
Hind leg 51.5 mm.

This species was discussed at some length as A. angustirostris Hallowell
(Barbour, Mem. M. C. Z., 1914, 44, p. 292). The discovery later of Hallowell’s
type made it clear that the name should be applied to a totally different species.
This lizard, which is a common woodland species throughout most of the Province
of Oriente, has probably been seen and caught by most collectors in Cuba but
mistaken variously for A. sagrei, A. homolechis, and perhaps other species. It
is usually dark brown or black when at rest and may ordinarily be found resting

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 161

head downward upon the trunks of large forest trees. It has, like homolechis,
the curious habit of convulsively curling and uncurling the tail when it is wounded
or noosed; and when it is at rest the tail is almost always kept more or less
tightly curled up. The enormously developed and brilliant dewlap often sud-
denly expanded with a quick nodding motion of the head make a bright flash
of colour in the sombre forests which allogus frequents. The large series now
in the M. C. Z. are from Los Negros, Baire, Jiguani, San Luis, Pozo Prieto,
and Monte Libano (de la Torre, Barbour, and Rodriguez); the collection of
the junior author contains specimens from many stations about Guantanamo,
and Sagua de Tanamo, while Mr. J. L. Peters found what we believe to be this
species in the neighbourhood of Mayari and Nipe Bay while collecting there
for the M. C. Z.in 1915. Thus its distribution is general where there are forests
in the Province of Oriente.

41. ANOLIS MESTREI Barbour & Ramsden.

Plate 10, fig. 3.
Lagartija.

Diagnosis: — A rather small but not a slender Anolis, in general appear-
ance like the common A. sagrei, but it may be recognized at once, since it has
a white dewlap with a large red-brown spot on its base.

Description: —Typr. Adult M. C. Z. 11,285. Cuba: Pinar del Rio;
Valley of Luis Lazo, March, 1915. Thomas Barbour.

Head with two slightly diverging ridges on the frontal region; forehead
concave; all the head-scales rather feebly keeled; seen from in front, rostral
about the same height as the mentals; six elongate scales between the nostrils:
a single series of scales separating the supraocular semicireles; occipital slightly
smaller than ear opening, separated from the supraocular semicircles by about
four rows of scales, which are very much larger than the dorsal granules and
slightly larger than the scales which bound the occipital posteriorly; supra-
orbital dise composed of about six large and a few additional smaller but some-
what enlarged scales; these are all very feebly keeled and arranged in gradation,
the largest scales nearest the scales of the semicireles, which they equal in size;
there are about three series of enlarged scutes in the dises; dise separated from
semicircles by one row of granules; three or four scales between the super-

162 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

ciliaries and the supraorbital semicircles bounding the area of the supraorbital
granules anteriorly; canthus rostralis sharp, consisting of five or six elongate
shields which are continuous with the superciliaries; loreal rows five or six;
subocular semicircles in contact with supralabials; supralabials six, the suture
between the fifth and sixth under the centre of the eye; temporals excessively
minute, granular, no enlarged series forming a supratemporal line; dorsal and
lateral scales minute, granular, none on the middorsal line enlarged; ventral
scales medium in size, flat, imbricate, without trace of keel; scales of throat
and chest also smooth; fore limbs above with small, imbricate, very feebly
keeled scales, smaller than the ventrals; femur and tibia with similar but
slightly larger and smooth or very feebly keeled scales; fingers and toes above
not distinctly carinate; digital expansion narrow, above fifteen lamellae under
phalanges II and III of fourth toe; tail (broken in type); long in U.S. N. M.

”?

26,731, compressed, without a ‘‘fin,” divided into irregular segments of about
five keeled scales each, the limiting row of each segment slightly enlarged);
in type, dewlap rather large, with smooth scales, anterior edge slightly thick-
ened; postanal scales not enlarged.

Colour (in life): — Mottled gray-brown, of more or less a “salt and pepper”
appearance. Dewlap white, with a large rich red-brown spot at its base, sur-
rounded by the white; the scales of the brown area white like the rest, the skin
only coloured. Belly whitish but throat with longitudinal dark lines.

There is marked variation in the degree of carination of the head-shields;
U. S. N. M. 26,931 has them almost smooth, yet we do not believe that this
specimen represents a different species. The species seems to be one which is
found almost wholly along the edges of woods on the trunks of trees and in
shrubbery. It was observed frequently in March 1915 in the Valley of Luis
Lazo (Barbour) though a few only were secured, a circumstance undoubtedly
due to a necessarily hasty ending of a collecting trip owing to the illness of
Mr. W. 8. Brooks.

We recognized the species at once in life as one completely unknown to
us and one which we have not seen elsewhere during many journeys throughout
Cuba. We do not believe that this species is rare but it is probably one which
is usually mistaken for A. sagrei. It should be looked for among any of the

limestone ranges of Pinar del Rio Province.

~

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 163

42. ANOLIS PORCATUS Gray.

Plate 14, fig. 9.
Lagartija verde.

Diagnosis: — A depressed brilliant green or brown Anolis, with an elongate,
flattened head with strong rugose scales, the digits greatly dilated, the tail
round and the dewlap light carmine, the gular scales being white.

Description: — Adult #@ M. C. Z. 10,881. Cuba: Pinar del Rio; Guane,
March, 1915. Thomas Barbour.

Top of head with strong heavy parallel ridges upon the elongate snout;
all the head-seales heavily keeled or strongly rugose; six scales in a row between
the nostrils; supraocular semicircles elevated and very rugose, separated by a
row of rugose scales; occipital and ear opening small, of about the same size;
supraocular dises not strongly defined, composed of about twelve rugose scales;
separated from the semicircles by a row of keeled scales; canthus rostralis
extremely prominent, long, composed of five or six large seales, extending
backward a single long scale forms a short superciliary ridge; loreal rows, three;
subocular semicircles long, composed of keeled scales in contact with supra-
oculars; nine or ten slightly rugose supralabials, the seventh under the eye;
temporals rather large and flat, all about the same size, no trace whatsoever of
a supratemporal line; scales of back and sides, equal, often faintly keeled and
with a slight tendency to imbricate; ventrals not much larger than laterals,
faintly keeled and slightly imbricate; scales of anterior aspect of fore and hind
limbs not enlarged; body elongate, depressed; a very inconspicuous nuchal
and dorsal fold; limbs medium long, with large digital dilations; the adpressed
hind limb reaches to about the ear opening; about thirty-two lamellae under
phalanges II and III of the fourth toe; tail long, round or slightly depressed
at the base, with verticils weakly indicated at four scale intervals, scales of
limiting row not greatly enlarged; postanals not enlarged.

Colour (in life): — Body and tail usually grass-green, the head (in adult
males) often sky-blue; the colour may change to green with a rufous dorsal
stripe or to brown variously streaked and vermiculated with green or vice versa.
The throat and lower surfaces are often sparingly streaked and dotted with
dark brown. The belly is whitish; the dewlap skin is light carmine, the scales
being white, the carmine in adult males is extended to form a rather large pink
spot upon the throat.

164 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

Dimensions: — Total length 202 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 66 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 136 mm.
Width of head 11 mm.
Fore leg 24 mm.
Hind leg 41 mm.

This large and beautiful Anolis represents in Cuba the abundant and
familiar Anolis carolinensis Voigt of the southern United States. The two
species have often been confused, even by such an authority as Boulenger. They
are very distinct. Anolis brunneus Cope of the Bahamas is, in some respects,
rather intermediate between the Cuban and Floridan forms.

In Cuba Anolis porcatus is widely distributed and it is one of the best known
and most easily recognized reptiles of the island. It has adapted itself specially
to life in gardens and it often comes to the windows and verandas of country
houses in search of its insect prey. They are particularly wont to sun them-
selves upon the many agaves or magueyes so often planted in Cuban gardens.
In the Botanical Gardens in Havana and in many of the well-planted plazas
of the larger provincial towns Anolis porcatus is a beautiful and attractive
denizen. In the unsettled districts it frequents the sunny margin of the forests,
but is excessively rare except in cultivated lands. We have collected and ex-
amined specimens in all of the six provinces. It is especially abundant about the
city of Camaguey.

43. NOROPS OPHIOLEPIS (Cope).

Plate 14, fig. 10.
Lagartija de la Yerba.

Diagnosis: — A small terrestial Anolis-like lizard which may be distin-
guished from any of the members of that genus by the absence of digital dilata-
tions. The back, sides, and belly are all covered with sharply keeled, imbri-
cating scales.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 7,923. Cuba: Soledad near Cienfuegos,
February, 1910. Thomas Barbour.

Top of head with very faintly indicated ridges which are almost parallel
(in some specimens they are not evident at all); supraocular semicircles indis-
tinet; separated from each other by two or three large, strongly keeled scales;
head-scales all heavily keeled; occipital oblong, small, about two thirds the size

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 165

of ear opening; separated from the semicircles by three or four scales; supra-
ocular dises large and broadly in contact with the semicircles; canthus rostralis
very prominent and composed of but two greatly elongate scales, three or four
elongate scales which overlap broadly form a ridge over three fourths of the eye;
loreal rows very irregular, about four; lower eyelid very broad covered with
minute granules; subocular semicircle feebly developed, its scales not greatly
enlarged; six supralabials, four long and two short, the fourth under the centre
of the eye, temporal seales scarcely differentiated, feebly keeled and slightly
imbricate; no indication of a supratemporal line; scales of back composed of
about twenty-one enlarged, keeled, and imbricate scales, those of sides decreas-
ing in size vertically and sharply differentiated from the enlarged, keeled, and
strongly imbricate ventrals, the largest middorsals are considerably larger than
the ventrals; body slim, no nuchal nor dorsal fold; limbs medium, the adpressed
hind limb reaches to between the ear opening and eye; digits slender, pectinate
but without dilations; tail slightly compressed, without trace of verticils; the
middorsal row of caudals enlarged and with continuous keels; postanal scales
very slightly enlarged.

Colour (in life): — Brown, a dorsal stripe of light brown and two lateral
white stripes on each side. The dark brown area between the middorsal and
upper lateral stripes often cut into a series of squares by narrow and rather
faint pale cross-bars. Fore limbs dark brown, hind limbs lighter brown,
sometimes distinctly cross barred with darker. In young individuals the
middorsal stripe is rarely conspicuous.

Dimensions: — Total length 89 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 28 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 61 mm.
Width of head 5 mm.
Fore limb 9 mm.
Hind limb 18 mm.

The little Cuban grass lizard is found throughout the Island as far west as
Guane and is not uncommon in open grassy pastures on dry hillsides and in the
more or less sterile savanna land; but from the nature of the country it is not
surprising that it should be much more common in central and western than in
eastern Cuba. It is abundant in the fallow fields of San Carlos Estate near
Guantanamo (Ramsden). In colour it fits admirably with dry grass or cane-
trash. It is extremely active and is far more often seen than caught. It is

166 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

strictly terrestrial and feeds principally on ants although it will rarely climb
even into the lowest bush or upon the stalks of grass to secure its prey; on one
occasion the junior author saw one climb about eighteen inches into a small
malvaceous bush at Guantanamo. The structure of its feet with the sharp
projecting lateral scales marks a transition stage toward the condition seen in
such genera as Uma, among iguanids or the South African Ptenopus among
geckonids.

44. CyYCLURA MACLEAYI Gray.
Plate 11, fig. 2, 3.
Iguana.

Diagnosis: — The largest Cuban land reptile, an enormous lizard with
prominent gular pouch, a nuchal and dorsal crest of spines and a powerful
muscular tail armed with prominent whorls of heavily keeled scales.

Description: — Adult #@ M. C. Z. 11,050. Cuba: Pinar del Rio; Valley
of Luis Lazo, April, 1915. Carlos de la Torre and Thomas Barbour.

Rostral as wide as the mental, broadly in contact with nasals; nasal large,
somewhat pentagonal, perforated by a large ovoid nostril; each nasal in contact
with a large, elongate supranasal and a squarish postnasal; nasals and supra-
nasals broadly in contact on the middle of the snout; the pair of supranasals
immediately followed by two pair of large prefrontals, the posterior pair several
times as large as the anterior pair; both pairs of prefrontals broadly in contact
in the middle line of the snout; a few granules on the crossing point of the two
prefrontal sutures; all these scutes covering the upper surface of the snout
slightly swollen and convex; between prefrontals and the scarcely indicated
supraocular semicircular two irregular rows of scales, the anterior row formed
of scales several times as large as those in the posterior one; immediately fol-
lowing the posterior row a large rounded median scale; supraorbital semicircle
differentiated from the supraocular dise but the scales on the outer and anterior
portion of the supraocular region smaller than the others; semicircles separated
by two, partly by three rows of large scales; occipital located with its posterior
end on a line with the posterior end of the semicircle; scales of the occipital
region enlarged and swollen, the outer ones largest; about two rows of scales
between the occipital and the semicircles; two or three rows of superciliary
shields not clearly differentiated, canthus rostralis consisting of three large
scales, the first elongate and in contact with two supraciliary scales that are also
elongate; all of these scales on the top of the head swollen, slightly keeled, and,

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 167

with the exception of the small supraocular scales, uniformly enlarged; a well-
developed series of strongly keeled suboculars continued backward as a supra-
tympanic series; six supralabials to the middle of the eye; a series of three or
four rows of small scales separating the supralabials from the suboculars; above
the angle of the snout and in front of the lower edge of the eye a large tubercu-
lar shield; above it about the middle of the front edge of the ear two large
shields, preceeded by a third, all three tubercular; below the angle of the mouth
a few tubercular scales, irregularly arranged; five infralabials to the middle of
the eye; a single row of very large, keeled malar scales, and two anterior ones
in contact with the infralabials, the rest separated from the infralabials by one
or two rows of small scales; dorsal and ventral scales small, about eleven con-
tained in the vertical diameter of the tympanum; from the nuchal fold along
the median line of the neck and back a row of low, blunt spines, the largest
slightly over a centimeter high; this crest interrupted on the shoulders and rump,
thirty-seven spines between these two points; upper surface of the limbs with
slightly imbricated, keeled, posteriorly pointed scales considerably larger than
the body-scales; scales covering the upper surface of the radius and tibia
much larger than those covering the humerus and femur; on the upper arm
about eight, on the lower about five of these scales to the vertical diameter of
the tympanum; a single series of twenty-two femoral pores; inner side of
second toe with one comb, of third toe with two combs, each consisting of three
lobes; tail compressed, covered with obliquely keeled scales in vertical rows,
forming faintly indicated verticils; tail surmounted by a serrated crest similar
to the body-crest but formed of slightly larger spines.

Colour (in life): —Ground tone of dorsal surface brownish gray; whole
dorsal surface sprinkled with pale, yellowish green, the spots very abundant
and partly confluent posteriorly; flanks marked by four broad, vertical stripes
of pale bluish gray; each stripe edged dark slaty gray, sides and upper surface
of the head broadly blotched with pale bluish yellow; sides of the tail with a
series of irregular vertical stripes of bluish gray becoming regular and evenly
spaced posteriorly, ventral surface somewhat. lighter than the upper surface.

Dimensions: — Total length 910 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 347 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 563 mm.
Tip of snout to ear 73 mm.
Width of head 52 mm.
Fore leg 156 mm.

Hind leg 254 mm.

168 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

A very young specimen, a female measuring only 115 millimeters from
snout to vent, collected at Belig, Cabo Cruz, Cuba, by O. Tollin and now in
the collection of the junior author, varies greatly in colour from the adult, but the
lepidosis of the specimen is very similar to that of the typical adult. In this
example the ground tone of the dorsal surface is grayish blue tinged with green-
ish; along the middle line of the back there is aseries of broad white cross-bars
edged broadly before and behind with black; these black and white ‘cross-bars
are continued on the sides as a series of wavy stripes, each stripe pointing
obliquely backward; the ventral surface is paler than the dorsal, and is covered
by broken continuations of the lateral stripes.

This species was once a common inhabitant of all parts of the Island. By
1880, however, when Gundlach wrote it had begun to be rare, although he said
that it still lived in various cays and about some of the coasts of both Cuba and
the Island of Pines. At the present time we have specimens or know definitely
that it occurs in the following regions:— near Baracoa (de la Torre), about
Guantanamo (the authors) and near Santiago (Wirt Robinson). There is a
beautiful young specimen from near Belig, Cabo Cruz, in the collection of the
junior author. It is known to occur commonly on the cays of the coast near
Manzanillo, Santa Cruz del Sur, as well as those in the Gulf of Batabané. It
is also found on some of the cays of the north coast near Cardenas and Remedios.
On the mainland of Cuba it also occurs on the Pan de Guajaibén, in the moun-
tains about the Valley of Luis Lazo and El Sumidero, in the coastal plain about
Santa Cruz del Norte, all in Pinar del Rio Province, and probably in some
other localities as well. In the Island of Pines, the Iguana is more common
than in Cuba. Its tracks and burrows may often be seen in the sand about
the coasts and they occur in the Sierras as well. In general it prefers the neigh-
borhood of rocky hills and precipices where there are crevices for hiding and
ledges on which it may bask in the sunshine. Iguanas are more often seen than
captured, for they are decidedly shy. They may only be secured by shooting
or by setting nooses at the entrances to their lairs or hiding places. Gundlach
spoke of how they were, in his day, hunted for food; he considered them excel-
lent. Throughout tropical America Cyclura and its allies are eagerly sought
and are esteemed highly. At present, however, in Cuba they are generally
held in great disgust and often even regarded as poisonous. The country folk
often declare that when an Iguana is hung up a drivel or slobber supposed to
be poisonous falls from its mouth called the biba or burujo. Possibly this
notion is derived from its similarity to the burujo or black vomit which comes

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 169

from the blood-filled stomachs of persons during the last stage of fatal cases of
yellow fever. The fact that the Iguanas are growing rare and difficult to obtain
coupled with their repulsive appearance may have also contributed to this change
of custom. It is strange, however, that so great a change can have taken place

in popular opinion in hardly more than a generation.

Key to the Species of Leiocephalus.

a! Caudal crest higher than dorsal ; ¢caley Atrac.} bent, 4 2) 4 carinalus, p. 169
a* Caudal crest not higher than dorsal, eb. x
b! An area of minute granules behind e: ar opening; a ffacle @4yruldey |atet macropus, p. 173

b? No area of minute granules behind ear opening.
c' Side of neck entirely covered with pointed, imbricate, keeled scales.
about 12 dorsal scales equal length of he: ad - 3 4,
ce? About 20 dorsal scales equal length of head, -posterior pr: oto uls
greatly enlarged ; 2 prebrailado.,, thi.Aceoval alerngeln. . . - raviceps, p. 172

cubensis, p. 171

45. LEIOCEPHALUS CARINATUS Gray.
Plate 14, fig. 11.

Perico, Caguayo; Iguana de los Fosos; Iguana, Iguana rabienroscada;

Bayoya de rabo enroscado.

Diagnosis: — A large spiny lizard carrying its tail curled over its back,
always when moving and often while at rest. It may be distinguished at once
from the other Cuban species by its barred gray and brown colouration and
by having the caudal crest better developed than the dorsal.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 7,940. Cuba: Morro Castle, Havana,
February, 1910. Thomas Barbour.

Upper head-scales, rather large, smooth: nasal in contact with the rostral;
supraorbitals extensively in contact; six narrow strap-like supraoculars, separ-
ated from the supraorbitals by a single series of rather small seales; two pairs
of parietals, the outer pair more than twice as broad as the inner ; sides of neck
each with two sharply defined, converging folds; scales of sides of neck, pointed,
imbricate and sharply keeled; dorsal crest evident but feebly developed; dorsal
seales, large, broader than long, slightly mucronate, serrate on their free edges,
very strongly keeled, the keels forming continuous and slightly oblique lines;
lateral scales slightly smaller than dorsals, imbricate, keeled, the keels much
more sharply oblique; ventrals very slightly smaller than dorsals, smooth,
rounded, distinctly broader than long; the adpressed hind limb reaches to the

170 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

ear opening; tail somewhat compressed; the caudal crest better developed
than the dorsal.

Colour (in life): — Olive-gray or brown, often with lighter cross-bands;
the tail strikingly banded above with light and dark. Belly deep olivaceous
on the throat, chest and midventral region, fading to yellow posteriorly and on
the under surfaces of limbs and tail.

Dimensions: — Total length 200 mm. (A very large adult from
Cabo Maisi).
Tip of snout to vent 112 mm. (Tip of tail lost).
Vent to tip of tail ? mm.
Width of head 22 mm.
Fore limb 42 mm.
Hind limb 77 mm.

By far the most characteristic and conspicuous reptile of the marine coast
plant associations, where the coast is sandy, is Ameiva aubert, while about rocky
shores its place is taken by this bizarre-looking creature. About the gloomy
walls of Cabaiias Fortress and about the Morro Castles of both Santiago and
Havana Leiocephalus carinatus abounds; and both adults and young may be
seen during the heat of the day scampering about the bases of the great walls,
in the moats and along the sea-cliffs, dodging in and out of the crevices or bur-
rowing under loose stones. As they scuttle briskly about with their tail tightly
curled over their backs they look for all the world like tiny pug dogs and have
well earned the common Cuban name for them of Perico or doggy. Where
there are rocky stretches of coast they abound but they sometimes frequent
the sandy stretches as well, scampering about among the great dry leaves of the
Beach Grape (Cocoloba uvifera) and making a most startling racket considering
their size. Specimens have been collected about the inland outskirts of Havana
(Gundlach and Barbour) where they frequent the moats of old forts and similar
situations. At Bayamo they are found on the high steep cliffs cut by the river
which flows near the city (Gundlach and Barbour). In general, however, it
is strictly a coast-land species.

The young are differently coloured from the adults and it is noteworthy
that they have the broad maroon-brown lateral band, only with wider white
margins, which is so characteristic of many other species of the genus and
specially of the Cuban macropus and cubensis. The tail and back are streaked
and marbled much more profusely than in either of these two species.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. vel

46. LEIOCEPHALUS CUBENSIS (Gray).
Plate 14, fig. 12.
Iguana de la Sierra; Bayoya; Arrastrapansa.

Diagnosis: — The most common and widespread of the curled-tailed lizards
having the whole side of the neck covered with imbricating pointed scales (not
granules) and having the dorsal and caudal crests about equally developed.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 7,281. Cuba: near Camaguey, May, 1909.
Thomas Barbour.

Upper head-scales large, heavily striated; nasal in contact with the rostral;
supraorbital series broadly in contact; supraoculars four, not conspicuously
strap-like, though much longer than broad, separated from the supraorbitals
by a series of small scales; two pairs of parietals in a row, the outer pair slightly
the larger; sides of neck plicate, covered with slightly elongate, pointed, keeled,
and imbricate scales; dorsal scales medium, about twelve corresponding to
length of head, heavily keeled and slightly mucronate, the keels in lines sharply
turned obliquely toward the middorsal line; lateral scales smaller, the keels
not forming such conspicuous lines; ventrals rather smaller than dorsals, smooth
and rounded, somewhat broader than long; the adpressed hind limb reaches
about to the ear; tail somewhat compressed, with a caudal crest about equally
developed with the dorsal.

Colour (in life): —The back rich mahogany-brown, in young and _half-
grown examples, variegated with series of dark dots. A broad black band on
each side of the head which changes to a rich maroon-brown upon. the sides of
the neck and gradually becomes less distinct posteriorly upon the sides. In
the young these bands are very conspicuous and are narrowly edged with white.
The white edging of the lower margin of the lateral band is usually present
through life. The throat is usually flecked with white or grayish or reddish
ground-colour which becomes paler posteriorly until it is dirty yellow about
the thighs and vent. The tail is brown, lighter toward the tip, narrow and
inconspicuous dirty yellow bands.

Dimensions: — Total length 240 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 90 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 150 mm.
Width of head 14.5 mm.
Fore limb 37 mm.

Hind limb 67 mm.

172 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

This is the most common member of the genus in Cuba and the most widely
distributed. It occurs from Cabo San Antonio to Cabo Maisi but usually in
the lowlands or in the less elevated limestone ranges. About Guane and the
Valley of Luis Lazo it is called La Iguana de la Sierra, not because it is really
confined to the Sierras thereabouts but because the peasants believe that the
sounds heard by night from the hills and really the tinkling voices of the Ranitas
(Eleutherodactylus) are made by these lizards which live in or have retired to
the Sierras to pass the night. About Matanzas the same sounds are attributed
to the Coronel (Anolis lucius). Generally L. cubensis is most abundant about
the edges of cane-fields and in the guarda rayas which divide them. They are
extremely abundant in the Botanical Gardens in Havana and on railway em-
bankments near Camaguey, where one may find, we believe, the largest speci-
mens on the island. The tail is very often carried curled, but sometimes only
for the distal third or fourth as in the other species of the genus and less tightly
and less constantly than in L. carinatus.

This species has been widely known as L. vittatus (Hallowell) but as Stejneger
notes (Proc. U. 8. N. M., 53, p. 273) the name Lezocephalus cubensis Gray is
applicable to this species and is earlier.

47. LEIOCEPHALUS RAVICEPS Cope.
Plate 10, fig. 4.

Diagnosis: — A small curled-tailed lizard having but two pairs of prefrontals,
the posterior pair conspicuously enlarged.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 10,928. Eastern Cuba. Charles Wright.
(A cotype from U.S. N. M. 4,162).

Upper head-scales large, bi- or tricarinate or rugose; nasal widely in con-
tact with rostral; supraorbital series broadly in contact; six or seven supra-
oculars, rather strap-like, separated from the supraorbitals by a series of small
scales; two pairs of parietals in a row, the outer pair slightly the larger; sides
of neck plicate covered with rather small, rounded, keeled and imbricate scales;
dorsal scales small, about twenty-one or twenty-two corresponding to length
of head, heavily keeled, very slightly mucronate and strongly imbricate, the
series of keels turning slightly toward the median line; ventrals decidedly
larger than dorsals, smooth, rounded, broader than long; the adpressed hind
limb reaches almost to the eye; tail slightly compressed with but a trace of a

caudal crest.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 173

Colour (faded alcoholic specimen):— Brown above with two series of
black dots on each side of the middorsal line; sides with a darker brown band
from cheek to groin bordered above with scattered light specks and below by a
conspicuous white line; lower surfaces whitish.

Measurements: — Total length 125 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 53 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 72 mm.
Greatest width of head 9 mm.
Tip of snout to ear 11 mm.
Fore limb 20 mm.
Hind limb 33 mm.

Boulenger (Cat. lizards B. M., 1885, 2, p. 163) made this species a synonym
of Leiocephalus vittatus (= cubensis), a course followed by the senior author
when no specimens were at hand (Mem. M. C. Z., 1914, 44, p. 301). Stej-
neger (Proc. U. 8. N. M., 1917, 53, p. 274) maintains that raviceps is a distinct
species and having now one of the types in the M. C. Z., we agree that it is surely
distinct. We feel, however, that its being Cuban is by no means so certain.
Wright collected most if not all his reptiles at Monte Verde, an old coffee p!anta-
tion in the Sierra de Yateras. This region has been worked for many years by
the junior author, but neither he nor any other collector has succeeded in finding
the species here or elsewhere in Cuba. Throughout its entire range, the genus
is by reason of its habits rather conspicuous and easy to collect. Stejneger
points out that its true relationships are with L. locogrammus; we have compared
M. C. Z. 10,928, witha type of loxogrammus M. C. Z. 10,931 and with three other
specimens of the species, M. C. Z. 6,230, all from Rum Key. They are much
alike but not identical, the posterior of the two pairs of prefrontals being still
much larger in the latter than in raviceps. All things considered, it is by no
means impossible that the types of raviceps came from some one of the Bahamas
and were credited to the Wright collection from Cuba by mistake.

48. LrrlocEPHALUS MACROPUS Cope.
Plate 10, fig. 5.
Bayoya Arrastrapansa.

Diagnosis: — An iguanid lizard which carries its tail coiled over its back
while running, with smooth ventral scales and having an area of fine granular
scales posterior to the ear opening.

174 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

Description: — Young M. C. Z. 10,928. Cuba: (?Monte Verde). Charles
Wright. (A cotype from U. 8. N. M.)

Upper head-scales rather large, striated; nasal in contact with the rostral;
supraorbitals widely in contact; supraoculars six, the middle two or three strap-
like, separated from the supraorbitals by a row of small scales; parietals in two
pairs, the outer pair rather the wider; sides of neck strongly plicate, a distinctly
defined area of granular scales behind the ear opening; dorsal crest very low;
dorsal seales very slightly mucronate, the keels tending obliquely toward the
middorsal line; laterals smaller than dorsals, ventrals about the same as dorsals
in size but smooth, rounded and broader than long; adpressed hind limb reach-
ing to between eye and nostril; tail slightly compressed; crested like the back.

Colour (in life): — Above olive-brown, rich and lustrous, with a burnished
sheen or polish, (not iridescent); usually a transverse dark brown interscapular
and sacral spot; a rich maroon band extends from orbit to groin often edged
with whitish and dotted with white in axilla and groin; lower surfaces yellow-

ish or greenish white.

Dimensions: — Total length 190 mm. (M. C. Z. 11,208 from
Baracoa).
Tip of snout to vent 70 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 120 mm.

Width of head 14 mm.
Fore limb 31 mm.
Hind limb 64 mm.

There is a great variation within this species in the arrangement of scales
on the fore head and snout.

The species is confined to the Province of Oriente. Just what are the
limitations of its range cannot be described. The senior author did not find it
in the Sierra Maestra near Baire and Jiguani but farther east in the mountains
of Oriente collected it upon Monte Libano near Guantanamo and it has been
taken in most of the highlands as far north as Sagua de Tanamo (Ramsden).
Wirt Robinson secured a series in hills near Santiago in 1903 and recently de
la Torre and Rodriguez have sent the M. C. Z. a number from the neighbour-
hood of Baracoa. It is distinctly a highland species, its place in the lowlands
and cane-fields being taken by L. cubensis, although the latter is far more abun-
dant in the central and western districts of the Island.

It is shy and rather wary, rushing off, scuttling away among the leaves with
its tail tightly curled above its back after the manner of its congeners.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 175

ANGUIDAE.
49. CELESTUS DE LA SAGRA (Cocteau).
Plate 14, fig. 13.
Culebrita de cuatro patas.

Diagnosis: — A smooth cylindrical shiny burrowing lizard with short,
degenerated limbs and small weak toes.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 7,924. Cuba: near Havana, Spring of
1910. Jestis Valdivia.

Rostral oblong, rectangular, almost invisible from above, followed by a
pair of supranasals well in contact; a pair of frontonasals larger than the supra-
nasals, also broadly in contact; prefrontal large, undivided, with an obtuse
projecting angle in front and a straight border behind forming a suture with
the entire anterior border of the frontal; frontal squarish, longer than broad,
longer than the distance between the supraoculars; a postfrontal, or fronto-
parietal, plus another small shield separating the supraoculars from the parietals
on each side; parietals large, separated from each other by a nearly triangular
interparietal and a rather large diamond-shaped occipital; five supraoculars;
a single nasal in contact with the rostral, the nostril being pieced in the posterior
half; three loreals in a row between nasal and preocular, first in contact with
frontonasal only, second with frontonasal and prefrontal, third in contact with
prefrontal, first supraocular and a superciliary as well as preocular; a long
angular subocular wedged between and separating widely the fifth and sixth
supralabials; eight supralabials; three large temporals in the first row forming
a semicircle behind the eye; mental very small, narrower than rostral, followed
by a large median postmental; four large chin-shields, the first two in contact
with the infralabials; ear opening small, round, about the size of the first supra-
labial, body elongate, the distance between the tips of the adpressed fore and
hind limbs being far greater than the distance from tip of snout to arm; thirty-
four scales around the body, dorsals finely striated, laterals smooth; fore leg
shorter than distance of tip of snout from ear opening; five fingers, all short,
third longest; hind leg short; five short toes, fourth longest; tail long, cylindric,
(ending in a point), covered with scales like those of body, the two median rows
beneath very slightly enlarged.

Colour (fresh in alcohol): — Above grayish brown; a dark lateral longi-
tudinal band, consisting of a distinct dark line along the upper part of the side

176 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

with a zone of dark specks below it. These fleckings grow fewer and the ground-
colour becomes lighter ventrally until the colour of the lower sides merges into
the yellowish cream-colour of the belly.

This species like its congeners probably varies very little in squamation.
An adult example (M. C. Z. 7,426) from eastern Cuba, Charles Wright collector,
is exactly like the specimen described, except that on one side three chin-shields
are in contact with three infralabials. Although this is an old specimen it is
very well preserved and shows an entirely different colouration. The back and
side are rich walnut-brown; the back is heavily spotted and flecked with darker;
the dark side-line is present but not very conspicuous, the sides also are heavily
spotted and washed with brown, the belly is yellowish.

Neither of these specimens is perfect. Boulenger gives the following
measurements: — total length 201 mm., tail 114mm. M. C. Z. 7,426 measures
90 mm. from snout to vent, while the tail with a considerable portion of the tip
missing measures 120 mm.; thus it would appear that Boulenger’s measurements,
which are not original, as there was no specimen in the British Museum, were
probably taken from a specimen with the distal portion of the tail repro-
duced. In this genus the reproduced tails are sometimes grown with squama-
tion so much like the rather generalized type seen on the original member that
it is difficult to recognize the reproduced part. This is never the case with forms
in which the tail scutellation is ornamented. Under such circumstances the
new growth shows a scutation of a much simpler type — whether ancestral or not
is impossible tosay. Recently we have examined a perfect specimen (Ramsden
collection) from Los Hondones, Guantanamo, in which the body from snout to
vent measured 85 mm. and the tail 115 mm.

Little or nothing is known of the habits of any of the Antillean Celesti.
They are nowhere common and are only found by the collector by the merest
chance under stones or hidden in similar situations. Hitherto nothing has been
recorded regarding their breeding habits. In June, 1914, however, the junior
author found a male Celustus under a stone near Belona, not far from Guanta-
namo, Cuba. He was lying over five eggs and when disturbed made no effort
to escape, simply hiding his head as if for protection. This makes it appear
probable that the male may remain on guard near the eggs until they are hatched.
The eggs which have a very soft shell measure 9 xX 17 mm. As in Jamaica
where Celesti are called “‘Galliwasps,”’ and considered very deadly, so also the
Cuban species is feared but to a far less extent. In Jamaica there are several

species, making the members of the genus more common, hence more widely

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 177

known, while in Cuba, since there is but a single species and that a very rare one,
there are but few, and those only among the more observant country people,
who know and fear it.

The locality records for the comparatively few specimens which have
reached museums and which have borne full data make it appear that the

species occurs throughout the Island.

XANTUSIIDAE.
50. CricoLeris typica (Gundlach «& Peters).
Plate 4, fig. 2; Plate 11, fig. 1.

Diagnosis: — A very small, short limbed ground-lizard; with a long fleshy
tail; large plate-like scales on the head and extremely small, even, rounded seales
in transverse series all over the upper surface of body, and series of squarish
scales on the tail; lower surfaces with rows of larger scales.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 8,512. Cuba: Cabo Cruz, near the light-
house, Spring of 1913. Thomas Barbour.

Rostral pentagonal forming an obtuse angle behind; nostril pierced be-
tween two nasals; anterior nasals in contact behind the rostral; a pair of squarish
frontonasals and a similarly shaped pair of slightly larger prefrontals; frontal
large, heptagonal, the posterior region expanded; four supraoculars, first very
small, third largest; a large interparietal with straight edge next the frontal,
bulging or rounded sides and an obtuse angle behind; a small frontoparietal
on each side, between the supraoculars, the frontal, the interparietal, and a
large temporal, which forms a suture with the interparietal and the parietal;
two loreals, second larger; temporal region with slightly enlarged flat scales
of irregular shape, mosaiced in a pavement-like manner; seven upper labials;
mental a trapezoid, followed by a heptagonal postmental and three large chin-
shields on each side, the first pair forming a long suture; lower labials about
equal in size to upper. A strong ring-fold separates head from neck; the
gular scales anterior to the fold slightly enlarged, flat, squarish to roundish,
those between the fold and collar generally roundish and slightly less flat.
Seales of upper surfaces small, equal, granular in transverse series; ventrals
much enlarged, square, forming eight (six large and two smaller) longitudinal
rows and twenty-six transverse series. Four square preanals, posterior pair

larger. Limbs weak; digits short with two rows of minute tubercular scales

178 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

below. Eight femoral pores on each side. Tail fleshy cylindrical, tapering
to a fine point, longer than head and body; caudal scales squarish or oblong,
verticellate, considerably larger below.

Colour (in life): — Upper surface of body reddish brown, a light line along
the upper region of each side; sides of body more dusky brown. Tail bright
brick-red above, almost vermilion below. Belly yellowish.

Dimensions: — Total length 92 mm.
Tip of snout to vent 32 mm.
Tail 60 mm.

Gundlach collected the types of this species under stones at Cabo Cruz
in 1857. From that time until in 1913, when the senior author visited the same
spot, no specimens found their way into any collections. Since 1913, Mr.
Oskar Tollin has visited the same general region and discovered the species at
Belig, not far from the Cape. Gundlach in his MS. note-book now in Prof.
de la Torre’s possession describes very exactly where he collected, but made no
special comment except that they were found under stones. The senior author
who was at the Cape during a rather cool dry spring found the species rare; Tollin,
on the other hand, was at Belig during the rains in August and found a consid-
erable number of individuals under decaying leaves on the forest floor. Tollin’s
specimens are in the collections of Prof. de la Torre of Havana, the Carnegie
Museum at Pittsburgh, and the junior author; the remaining great majority
of the specimens are in the collection of the M. C. Z., whence examples have
been sent to the U. 8S. N. M. and to the British Museum. There is no record of
the number Gundlach obtained, there is but one in the Museo Gundlach of the
Institute of Secondary Education at Havana, and others are doubtless in the
Berlin Museum, since they were sent to Peters.

Thus we know nothing of the life history of this curious archaic lizard.
Its allies Xantusia and Lepidophyma are nocturnal and although probably
far from rare are nevertheless represented in but a few museums. This species
and Solenodon cubanus are zodlogically the most curious and interesting inhabi-
tants of Cuba and any notes or data regarding their life histories would be very

valuable.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 179

TEIIDAE.
51. AMEIVA AUBERI Cocteau.
Plate 14, fig. 14.

Corre-costa; Culebrina (Santiago de Cuba).

Diagnosis: — An olivaceous brown ground-lizard generally with three nar-
row light stripes on the back, and a broad dark lateral stripe on each side. A
shy and swiftly moving species, with an acutely pointed head and a very long
round tail.

Description:—Adult # M.C. Z. 7,277. Cuba: Camaguey, 1908. Thomas
Barbour.

Rostral forming a little more than a right angle behind; nostril on the
posterior edge of the anterior nasal; anterior pair of nasals broadly in contact
behind the rostral; frontonasal as long as wide, in contact with the loreal; pre-
frontals broadly in contact; frontal in contact with the first and second supra-
ocular; a pair of frontoparietals in contact with the third supraocular for nearly
their entire length; five occipitals ina transverse row, the two in contact with
the median, largest; seven supraciliaries; three supraoculars, the first separ-
ated from the loreal; two posterior supraoculars separated from the supra-
ciliaries by a double row of granules; last supraocular separated from the outer
occipitals by three rows of small scales; seven large supralabials; five large
infralabials; between the infralabials and chin-shields a wedge of one to three
rows of granules extending anteriorly to the first chin-shield; chin and throat
covered with granules, an indistinct band of very slightly larger ones extending
across the middle, the median ones forming an ill-defined central group of
slightly enlarged scales; on the area between the two throat-folds several rows
of large hexagonal scales; under side of the body with ten longitudinal and
thirty-five transverse rows of plates; preanal plates, two anterior median
and three posterior marginal ones; on the lower arm a double row of ante-
brachials, one much wider than the other, both decreasing in width towards
the elbow joint; on the upper arm a similar but narrower single row of brachials
continuous with the antebrachials; on the posterior side near the elbow a small
eroup of enlarged postbrachials; under side of the thighs covered with six or
seven series of hexagonal plates of which the outer series is considerably larger
than the others; thirteen and fourteen femoral pores; on the under side of the

180 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

tibia two rows of plates, those of the outer rows enormously enlarged; upper
side of the wrist with a regular series of transverse plates corresponding to the
inner and outer metatarsals; outer toe extending approximately as far as the
inner; tail covered with straight scales with keels; about thirty-five scales in
the fifteenth ring from the base.

Colour (in life): —Ground-colour of dorsal surface olivaceous brown,
slightly reddish anteriorly, grayer on the tail; three poorly defined narrow
stripes of a lighter colour on the back; the two lateral stripes bordered on their
outer side by a series of broad, dark brown spots which tend to become con-
fluent; the same two outer pale stripes are bordered on their inner side by a
poorly defined and much lighter series of similar dark spots; flanks, sides of
head, sides and upper surfaces of the tail and appendages covered with a net-
work of irregular brown patches; ventral surface straw-colour; traces of the
same colour on the head-shields.

In this species the females show almost exactly the same colouration as
the males. There is, however, considerable individual variation in the exten-
sion and distinctness of the dorsal stripes. There is also some variation in the
distance by which the gular scales are separated by granules.

The Cuban Ameiva is found everywhere in the Island except in the swampy
regions, especially back of sandy beaches. We have examined and compared
examples from Guane, Cojimar, San Diego de los Banos, Bahia Honda, Cien-
fuegos, Camaguey, Santiago, and Guantanamo. No examples were ever ob-
served in the Zapata swamp, nor in similar regions such as the swampy coastal
plain from Palo Alto near Jucaro to the Estero de Juan Hernandez.

Since this lizard is extremely shy and correspondingly quick in hiding, it
is not seen moving about as often as its abundance would warrant. It is gen-
erally found under stones or such rubbish as fallen palm fans and logs, which
provide suitable hiding places. Occasionally, however, they may be seen crawl-
ing about, usually in the dryest and most sunbaked places, with decorous pre-
occupation and leisurely picking up ants. In the spring of 1909 they were really
abundant on the hot stretches of cinders and ballast along the line of the Cuban
railway, just west of the city of Camagiiey and a number could be seen there
any day when the sun was high.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 181

AMPHISBAENIDAE.

52. CADEA BLANOIDES Stejneger.
Plate 15, fig. 1.
Culebrita ciega.

Diagnosis: — A thick, rather short, eyeless, legless lizard. In colour ashy
gray washed with a rosy pink iridescence and with small darker spots. It is
noteworthy in having no lateral line.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 7,934. Cuba: San Diego de los Bajos,
March, 1910. Thomas Barbour.

Snout rather acute, rounded at the tip, projecting very slightly beyond
lower jaw; rostral medium, rectangular, higher than broad, forming a long
suture with prefrontal; prefrontal single, large, longer than broad, roofing the
snout; two long narrow frontals, followed by two pairs of small squarish occi-
pitals; eye almost invisible; an elongate supraocular reaching forward to the
nasal; three upper labials, first very small, second very large, third medium;
mental squarish, followed by a long postmental, three lower labials, first small,
other two very large; annuli, dorsal, 221, annuli, ventral, 182; annuli on tail,
dorsal, seventeen; annuli on tail, ventral, fourteen; an annulus about the mid-
dle of the body contains thirty-three segments; dorsal segments oval, ventral
rectangular, broader than long; no lateral line; anal segments eight; praeanal
pores, eight.

Colour (in life): — Gray with a flesh coloured or peach-blow bloom or
iridescence; most of the dorsal segments with a dark central spot.

Dimensions: — Total length 224 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 17 mm.

This is the species which has figured for many years in the literature as
Amphisbaena punctata Bell. Stejneger (Proc. Biol. soc. Wash., 1916, 29, p. 85)
has shown that it is, first, not an Amphisbaena and also that Gray was entirely
justified in making the genus Cadea to include it. He also points out that
Amphisbaena punctata Bell, 1828, is preoccupied by A. punctata Wied, 1825, and he
substituted the specific name blanoides, by authority of one of the least justified
canons of the International zoélogical code of nomenclature. Certainly Cadea
punctata would not be confused with Amphisbaena punctata if the two names
were in present use.

182 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

Cadea blanoides is rare in Cuba, far more so than is Amphisbaena cubana.
The only specimens which we have seen are from the west, Herradura, Guan-
ajay, and San Diego de los Bafios, and we believe that it does not occur east of
Havana. It is a very beautiful species in life. The few specimens obtained
were dug from the soil in preparing gardens for vegetable planting.

The remarkable species Cadea palirostrata Dickerson is known only from
the Island of Pines. It is interesting in that the head is flattened in a vertical
plane to aid in burrowing. Although Cadea blanoides is as yet unknown from
the Island of Pines and although the fauna of the Island is entirely made up of
the identical, or more or less slightly modified, representatives of Cuban species,
it seems hardly possible that this form can be the local homologue of C. blanoides;
it is so much more differentiated than any other of the Island of Pines repre-
sentatives of Cuban species. Cadea palirostrata may possibly be quite unre-
lated to C. blanoides, and in that case it may surely be looked for in Cuba as
blanoides may be in the Island of Pines. Four specimens, one now M. C. Z.,
were collected at San Pedro, Island of Pines, by Charles 8. Meade in 1911. To
aid in recognizing this species, the following extract from the original description
is added: —

“Mouth inferior, muzzle extending beyond it a distance equal to the length of the nasal.
Muzzle long and pointed. Head compressed with spadelike ridge extending dorsally from
occipitals forward, and ventrally the length of the mental. Rostral large, compressed and
extending in a conspicuously convex band forward and upward over the end of the muzzle,
and backward to an angular suture with the praefrontal — thus adding to the adaptability
of the head for digging. Praefrontal relatively large, its width little less than its length,
compressed and folded over the dorsal ridge of the muzzle, indented anteriorly by the entrance
of the rostral, and posteriorly by the two frontals. The latter equal in length to the prae-
frontal, widest in the middle. Frontals followed by a pair of subquadrilateral occipitals.
Eye visible under the anterior angle of the ocular. Nostril pierced in the middle of the
anterior end of the nasal. Supraocular very elongate, forming sutures with nasal, prae-
frontal and frontals, second labial, ocular and parietals. Three upper labials subequal,
although of greatly varying shape; first slightly smallest, second slightly largest. Mental
subquadrilateral with short winglike extensions anteriorly, and in the midline anteriorly
compressed into a short downward-projecting wedge; chin shield nearly twice as long as
mental, broadest near the anterior end; three lower labials, the first small, the second very
large, twice as large as the second upper labial. Annuli, dorsal, 329; ventral, 286. Annuli
on the tail, dorsal 21; ventral, 16. Annulus on the middle of the body contains 39 segments.
Dorsal segments narrow, oval; ventral, slightly broader than long, square-angled. No
lateral line. Anal segments, 10; praeanal pores, 10. General coloring brownish, darkest on
head, lightest ventrally — each segment with one or more irregular brown blotches, varying
in position on the segments.

“ Type: Length to vent, 280 mm.; tail, 15.” Dickerson, Bull. Amer. mus. nat. hist.,
1916, 35, p. 659.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 183 ©

Since this was written any doubt which may have existed as to the accuracy
of the data regarding the locality of the types of this species has been removed,
for Messrs. Brooks and Warner captured a fine adult at McKinley, Island of
Pines, in March, 1917. Later during 1918 the senior author and Mr. W. S&S.
Brooks took a very large series, every one a typical palirostrata; it was also
found abundantly in several localities in the Island of Pines, namely La
Ceiba, Santa Barbara, and McKinley. These were found when the fields
were ploughed. The senior author also found several blanoides by following
ploughs on the plantation of Mr. Shaler Williams at Caimito del Guayabal,
near the town of Guanajay. Thus it is evident that each of these species is
peculiar to its original locality and some unknown cause has given rise to their
surprising differentiation into full species, whereas most of the Island of Pines
forms are but ill-defined local races.

53. AMPHISBAENA CUBANA Peters.
Plate 165, fig. 2.
Culebrita ciega.

Diagnosis: — A rather small and slender, blind, legless lizard with a lateral
line on each side separating the dorsal from the ventral scutation. In colour,
brown uniform or dotted.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 7,936. Cuba: Soledad near Cienfuegos,
February, 1910. Thomas Barbour.

Rostral small, triangular, barely visible from above; prefrontals long,
the suture between them much longer than the one between the frontals; ocular
fused with second supralabial (as is invariably the case in our Cuban series),
postocular rather large and squarish; a well-developed diamond-shaped tem-
poral; eye plainly visible; a pair of occipitals almost square, in contact behind
the frontals; three supralabials, first small, the second enormous since it in-
cludes the ocular, third medium sized; three lower labials, the first and third
small, the second very large indeed; mental followed by a large median post-
mental diminishing in breadth anteroposteriorly; behind the postmental and
between the enormous second sublabials are two large oval shields including
three small scales, one ahead and two behind, between them; these followed by
five ventral contour eae between the malars which*are set just inside of the
third infralabial, and which are also broadly in contact with the second infra-

184 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

labial; rings on the body 204, rings on the tail fourteen; the segments of each
ring longer than broad on the back, broader than long on the belly, fourteen
above and sixteen below the lateral line; anal shields, eight; preanal pores,
five (normally and almost invariably four).

Colour (in life): — Rather light brown, almost all of each segment being
covered by a square dark brown spot. These spots appear on but a part of
the ventral segments, giving the body a mottled appearance. Head uniform
brown.

Dimensions: — Total length 194 mm.

Vent to tip of tail 14 mm.

Like all West Indian amphisbaenians, A. cubana has always been rare in
museums. Boulenger had no specimens when he wrote the British Museum
Catalogue and presumed that the species was really the same as caeca from
Porto Rico, as he considered the fusion of the ocular with second supralabial,
although present in both types, to be an anomaly. Stejneger recorded two
other specimens showing this same curious character and concluded in his
Herpetology of Porto Rico (1904) that the species was valid. That Stejneger
is correct has been shown by the very large series collected by the senior author
in 1910 at Soledad, and another series equally large received in 1915 from Mr.
R. M. Grey of the Harvard Botanical Station. The species can be secured in
numbers by persistently following the ploughman at work preparing the cane-
fields for replanting. The securing of a series is merely a matter of time.
Although many specimens of T'yphlops lumbricalis and of Leimadophis andreae
were secured in this same way, no specimen of Cadea was ever found near
Soledad. Following ploughs in other parts of the Island has not been equally
successful and none were obtained at Sefior Francisco Morales’s plantation near
the Rio Hanabana in the Cienaga de Zapata. Although apparently so locally
distributed the species, nevertheless, has very considerable range, for the U. 8.
N. M. has received it from Matanzas far to the west of Cienfuegos, while speci-
mens have been collected on the plantation of San Carlos near Guantanamo in
extreme eastern Cuba (Ramsden) and near Havana (Barbour). In January,
1917 a few were found under stones on the floor of a heavy lowland forest.
This was while enjoying the hospitality of Mr. Walter Wilcox whose mahogany
cutting is on the east shore of the Ensenada de Cochinos, at Caleta Rosario
(Barbour). Young specimens, but three or four inches long and very slender,
are by no means rare, but so far we have no information regarding the egg-

laying or breeding habits in general of either of the Cuban amphisbaenians.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 185

REPTILIA: SERPENTES.

Key to the Genera.

a! Under side of body with small scales like the back . . . . . . . . . Typhlops, p. 185
a? Under side of body with transverse plates.
b! Plates beneath tail undivided.

cl Anterior maxillary teeth greatly enlarged “Y-l4 & © /. > 5° 8 Epicrates, p. 186
ce Anterior maxillary teeth not greatly elongate Jsa’o;. 4%) 2s 29 £Propidophis, p. 188
b? Plates beneath tail in two series.
c! Nostrilsdirected upward. . ....:... =... =. =. . Tretanorhinus, p. 192
¢@ Nostrils lateral
d? Scales with two apical pits. . ..... =... =. =. . Alsophis, p. 194
d® Scales with none or only one apical pit.
e! Eye very small, scaled always without apical pits . . . Arrhyton, p. 197
e Eye larger, scales often withasingleapical pit. . . . . Leimadophis, p.195
TYPHLOPIDAE.

54. TYPHLOPS LUMBRICALIS (Linné).

Plate 11, fig. 4, 5.
Culebrita ciega; Vibora.

Diagnosis: — A small burrowing snake (not to be confused with the
Cuberita ciega, amphisbaenid lizards), with smooth nearly cylindrical body,
covered with rounded imbricate scales almost alike above and below; the eye
is hidden under a large shield but may show through as a black spot; it is often
quite invisible.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 10,855. Cuba: Havana Province; San
Antonio de los Bafios, March, 1915. Thomas Barbour.

Head depressed, snout projecting, rounded on the sides; nostrils just
below the lateral edge; rostral between two and three sevenths of width of the
head; nostril over the second supralabial suture; ocular with but. slightly
convex anterior edge, in contact with third and fourth supralabials; supra-
ocular, prefrontal, frontal, postoculars, and parietals scale-like and subequal;
eye visible; twenty rows of scales around the body; about 367 scales on the
midventral line from chin to vent, twelve scales on lower middle line of tail;
tail ending in a spine.

Colour (in life): — Dark gray-brown, each dorsal scale with a darker basal
spot, scales of sides lighter unspotted. Lower surfaces yellowish white.

186 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

Dimensions: — Total length 182 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 5 mm.
Diameter of body 7 mm.

The common Antillean blind snake is one of the most widely if not the
most widely distributed reptile of the whole West Indian area. It has been
found upon the South American mainland and upon Jamaica, Haiti, Mona,
Porto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. Kitts, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Dominica,
Martinique, as well as upon several of the Bahamas and Cuba.

In Cuba it is abundant and widely distributed. Living entirely in sub-
terranean burrows it is but rarely seen except when perhaps a heavy rain has
forced its unwilling appearance on the surface of the ground. It may be found
readily by following a plough or by digging in gardens or turning over logs and
stones. It is found in the high mountains equally abundant as in the lowlands
and in both wild and cultivated terrains. It is widely feared by the peasants,
being supposedly poisonous, a senseless notion perhaps arising from the caudal
spine looking a bit like a sting. The Cuban Guajiro knows the scorpions only
too well and probably fears all tails bearing apparent stings.

BOIDAE.
55. EpiIcRATES ANGULIFER Bibron.
Plate 15, fig. 3.
Maja de Santa Maria.

Diagnosis: — A very large constricting serpent, aggressive when disturbed.
The body covered by many rows of small scales, the lips with rudiments of a
series of pits. The colour iridescent brown with dorsal rhombs of darker, and
with lateral ocelli having yellowish centres.

Description: — Young M. C. Z. 960 Loce.?

Judging from its date of receipt and character of label this specimen was
received by Prof. Louis Agassiz from Prof. A. Aug. Duméril of Paris and is
probably one of the types of the species. Duméril spoke of sending only
“types” to Agassiz — but ‘‘types” as the word was then used did not, to be
sure, invariably refer to ‘‘types”’ in the sense of present usage.

Head with somewhat irregular, pavement-like scales; a pair of large pre-
frontals are conspicuous, a rosette of seven scales, one central and six peripheral

upon the frontal region, a supraocular both separated from the supralabials

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 187

by a series of small scales; a series of five or six small shields behind and below
the eye; the eye thus wholly separated from the supralabials; thirteen or
fourteen upper labials with a faint trace of pits. Scales in fifty-nine (may be
51-65) rows, ventrals 280 (276-300), anal entire; subcaudals sixty-four (50-85).

Colour (in living specimen) : — Pale hazel-brown with a beautiful iridescent
play of colour; on the middorsal region a series of dark rhombs, on the sides
series of ocelli of dark brown with yellow centres. There are various other
spots and marks of dark colour between these conspicuous markings. Belly
yellowish.

Dimensions: — Total length (adult fide Boulenger) 2170 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 195 mm.

The Cuban Boa is still by no means rare but with the increasing cultivation
of the country large individuals become more and more difficult to find. Gund-
lach records specimens from the Cienaga of seven yards and had one himself
of five yards, which is probably the one now stuffed in the Museo Gundlach.
A specimen of almost this size was received some years ago alive at the New
York Zodlogical Park and was a most extraordinarily bulky reptile. A living
Boa about nine feet long was caught in the Cienaga in 1915 and two others in
1913 of about the same size (Barbour). Examples over ten feet long are cer-
tainly rare today, although the junior author has seen a skin over twelve feet
long with head and neck cut off. When one attempts the capture of a Maja
the snake is invariably found to be of the most irascible and snappish disposi-
tion. In habits the species is a typical Boa, sluggish and retiring, but it seems
to be much more terrestrial than the Central and South American species.
Gundlach records the young, which are born alive, to be twenty-one inches in
length. Before shedding the Maja loses the brilliancy of its colouring, as with
the other iridescent reptiles, but after shedding it is most beautiful and the play
of colours rivals an opal in effect. The Maja is much persecuted by the country
folk because of its destruction of chicken, turkeys, and young pigs. Palmer
and Riley notice that about the bat caves of Guanajay the Boas were said by
the country folk to take their station at the mouth of the caves and by lunging
forward to catch bats from the stream which pours forth just after dusk. Rather
loath to believe this the senior author visited the caves of Guanajay in 1910
and found the bones of many bats about the opening of the caves but decided
that probably they had been killed by barn owls. That the legend which is
quite widespread was probably true, however, is proved by the following short

188 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

narrative from a wholly trustworthy observer, Sefor V. J. Rodriguez, Assistant
in the Museo Poey at the University of Havana: —

“Once while exploring near Maisi we entered a cave which had just inside the entrance
a large salon. From this a narrow passageway led to a second hall, the passageway greatly
narrowed by two huge boulders which had fallen in. On entering the second room we heard
a noise and upon further examination found that the whole floor of the cave was one seething
mass of enormous cockroaches and that the noise was the result of the rubbing of one with
another as they struggled about. Large centipedes were moving back and forth across this
living floor. Our lights showed a veritable inferno in miniature. Bats flew about in great
clouds, the stench was overpowering and the chambers still further in were so fearfully hot
that no entrance was possible. On our way out in the narrow passage between the first
two halls a large majé was ensconced in a hole at about the level of one’s shoulder and with
several feet of his body projecting he was making vicious lunges at the passing and repassing
bats which we had stirred up. We finally got him by the neck and with some labour hauled
him free and bagged him.”

Key to the Species of Tropidophis.

al Sealesikeecledi: Bis =o 43 0 1 ete TILES ee OS
a? Scales smooth.
b! Scales in 25 to 29 rows, ventrals about 170-215 . . . .~ e+. 2°. maculatus, p. 190
b? Scales in less than 25 rows.
c! Scales in 23 or 25 rows, ventrals 140-160 . . . . . . . «sts. pardalis, p. 189
ce? Scales in 21 or 23 rows, ventrals usually over 200 . . . . . . semicinctus, p. 191

56. TROPIDOPHIS MELANURUS (Schlegel).
Maja; Culebra boba.

Diagnosis: — The largest member of the genus, a sluggish constrictor,
like its congeners with vertical pupils in the eyes, usually corn-colour, or light
grayish and with the scales strongly keeled. :

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 10,835. Cuba: Pifar del Rio; Guane,
February, 1915. Thomas Barbour.

Head very distinct from neck; rostral much broader than deep, just visible
from above; frontal longer than broad, a little shorter than its distance from
rostral; parietals not very conspicuously differentiated; one pre- and three
postoculars; nine upper labials, fourth and fifth entering the eye; scales in
twenty-seven (sometimes twenty-nine) rows, distinctly, keeled except the three
outer rows (sometimes four or five) which are smooth; ventrals 220 (range
200-225); anal entire; subcaudals forty-two (range 30-45).

Colour (in life): — Varying shades of corn-yellow, reddish and ashy gray

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 189

with darker vertebral blotches which often have irregular light centres. There
are scattered dots of dark brown upon the sides and belly, sometimes almost
wholly wanting. There are sometimes more or less conspicuous dark streaks
along the side of the body, a light streak near the angle of the mouth and often
a dark vertebral line. In spite of the name neither Gundlach nor we have seen
an individual with a black tail.

Dimensions: — Total length 670 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 70 mm.

This is the largest member of the genus and we have specimens nearly a
meter in length. It is strictly nocturnal but by no means rare. During the
day it may be found hidden in various situations, among rocks, under decaying
vegetation, but most often in the rolled up “boots”’ of the fallen palm fronds
— called in Cuba ‘‘yaguas.’’ Where groves of Royal Palms stand among mangos
or thickly planted bananas so that the ground is well shaded and damp, many
of the yaguas when unrolled or better cut into with a machete will be found to
contain Majis of this species passing the day closely coiled into almost a sphere.
The snakes are extremely sluggish and make absolutely no resistance to capture
or handling. That they are voracious, however, is shown by the fact that a
large individual once crawled during the night into the junior author’s aviary
and having devoured a dove found it impossible to repass through the wire of
the cage. It remained quietly coiled in a corner causing consternation among
the inmates until caught. When surprised or handled this snake discharges
a whitish slime from its vent which is extremely offensive, in fact more pungent
even than the musky fluid discharged by the various species of Thamnophis
or Natrix of North America.

57. TROPIDOPHIS PARDALIS (Gundlach).
Plate 5, fig. 2.
Maja.

Diagnosis: — A small spotted constricting snake, having the habits and
general appearance described for 7. maculata but with the belly-scales less than
160 in number; the body being correspondingly shorter and rather stout.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 10,840. Cuba: Havana Province; San

Antonio de los Bafios, February, 1915. Thomas Barbour.
Head slightly distinct from neck; rostral decidedly broader than deep,

190 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

just visible from above; frontal somewhat longer than broad, distinctly shorter.
than its distance from the rostral; parietals short; one pre- and two (rarely
three) postoculars; nine (or ten) upper labials, fourth, fifth, and sixth entering
orbit; scales smooth in twenty-five (often twenty-three) rows; ventrals 152
(range 140-158), anal entire; subcaudals twenty-nine (range 22-30).

Colour (in life): —Brownish or grayish above with usually four, some-
times six longitudinal series of dark blotches. When there are six the two
middorsal series of spots are largest, when but four rows they are of about
equal size. There is sometimes a conspicuous dark spot on the crown and often
a cross-bar on the snout, and a dark streak on each side of the head. Very
young individuals sometimes present a beautiful semilunar spot of yellowish
white on the nape or postparietal region. The belly is yellowish with a double
series of alternate or opposite dark markings.

Dimensions: — Total length 210 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 32 mm.

This snake is the smallest and in Cuba at any rate probably the least com-
mon member of the genus except semicinctus. Its habits differ in no wise from
those of its ally 7. maculatus. At first sight it appears very similar indeed to
this species but it may usually be separated by its darker and duller colouration,
with series of much larger dark blotches and it may always be recognized by its
having fewer ventral scales. It is distinctly a shorter, stouter snake than the
other. It is found in the Bahamas on New Providence, Andros, and Eleuthera.
On New Providence it is very common indeed. Here it is called the Thunder
Snake for it frequently appears crawling by daylight after heavy thunder show-
ers which doubtless fill its retreats with water and drive it abroad.

58. TROPIDOPHIS MACULATUS (Bibron).
Plate 5, fig. 3.
Maja.
Diagnosis: — A rather small spotted constricting snake, sluggish and in-
offensive, which is only to be confused with 7. pardalis and from this species
it may be known by having the belly-scales more than 165 in number. This

and the others of the genus make no effort to escape but coil up tightly into a
sphere when disturbed.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 191

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 10,836. Cuba: Pinar del Rio; Guane,
February, 1915. Thomas Barbour.

Head not very conspicuously distinct from neck; rostral very slightly
broader than deep, just visible from above; frontal wide but longer than broad,
distinctly shorter than the distance from rostral, longer than the parietals;
one (sometimes two) pre- and three (sometimes two) postoculars; nine (oer ten)
supralabials, of which the fourth, fifth, and sixth enter the orbit: scales smooth
in twenty-five (or 27 or 29) rows; ventrals 189 (range, 170-210) anal entire;
subeaudals forty-two (range 25-42).

Colour (in life): — Reddish or bluish gray, with six or eight more or less
regular rows of spots, sometimes light edged and usually alternating; the two
middorsal series by far the largest; belly chrome-yellow or ochraceous yellow
with usually a double series of dark spots which may be definitely alternating or
exactly opposite.

Dimensions: — Total length 320 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 40 mm.

The habits of maculatus are those of the other species of Tropidophis and
there seems to be nothing local about its distribution, as it is also found in
Jamaica, Haiti, and Navassa Island. In Jamaica it is almost extinct owing to
the appetite of the introduced mongoose. In Haiti it is also rare and there is
. some doubt as to the validity of the form haetiana of Cope based upon Haitian
specimens. Its peculiar character was supposed to be due to the presence of an
interparietal, and twenty-nine scale-rows. But all Haitian examples do not have
interparietal and although we have not observed the scale ever in specimens
from elsewhere; the validity of haetiana must therefore remain in doubt until a
large series from both Cuba and Haiti can be secured. As to the status of
the species upon Navassa we know nothing.

59. TROPIDOPHIS sEMIcINcTUS (Gundlach & Peters).
Plate 15, fig. 4-6.
Maja.
Diagnosis: — A rather small, sluggish, inoffensive constrictor with a double

series of large conspicuous dark spots, sometimes confluent into cross-bands
one on each side of the distinctly compressed body.

192 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 10,822. Cuba: Cienfuegos, Soledad, 1915.
R. M. Grey.

Head rather distinct from neck; rostral a little broader than deep; just
visible from above; frontal a little longer than broad, as long as its distance
from the rostral; parietals rather small; one pre- and three postoculars; nine
upper labials, fourth, and fifth entering the eye; scales smooth, in twenty-five
rows; ventrals 205; anal entire; subcaudals forty-six.

Colour (in fresh specimen):— Creamish yellow, a double series of large
black spots, one on each side. The spots sometimes confluent. Throat and
upper labials yellowish, remainder of head chestnut-brown.

This very distinct and peculiar snake is excessively rare, one of the rarest
in Cuba. The only specimen in the M. C. Z. is the ‘one described. It has
been taken at Borrero on the Guantanamo River by the junior author who
has specimens from Manzanillo and Cuabitas near Santiago; there are also
two specimens in the U. 8S. N. M. We know really nothing of its habits,
beyond the fact that it is perfectly inoffensive, simply rolling up into a ball
with its head tucked away inside and remaining motionless until disturbed.
It is like its close relatives, nocturnal.

Still more recently Mr. W. 8S. Brooks has found it in the Island of Pines
where it was previously unknown, and the M. C. Z. has also received a
specimen from Cardenas.

NATRICIDAE.
60. TRETANORHINUS VARIABILIS Duméril & Bibron.
Plate 15, fig. 9.

Catibo (Western and Central Cuba); Memiso or Quimbélo (Eastern Cuba).

Diagnosis: — A wholly aquatic snake, grayish olive in colour with many
much darker cross-bands. The head depressed and the eyes and nostrils point-
ing upward as an adaptation to the aquatic habitat.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 10,820. Cuba: Pinar del Rio; Guane,
Rio Cuyaguateje, Spring of 1915. Thomas Barbour and W. 8. Brooks.

Rostral much broader than high, searcely visible from above; nasals in
contact behind the rostral; internasals much longer than broad, the internasal
suture but slightly if any longer than the prefrontal suture; frontal very much
longer than broad, about as long as prefrontal and internasal sutures together,

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 193

not much more than half the length of the parietals; loreal almost twice as
long as high; two pre- and two postoculars; temporals 1 + 2; eight upper
labials, the fourth only entering the eye; four lower labials in contact with the
anterior chin-shields, three with posterior; posterior chin-shields a very little
longer than the anterior and separated from each other by four scales; scales
keeled in nineteen rows; ventrals 163, anal divided, subcaudals fifty-seven.

Colour (in life): —Grayish olive above with dark slaty, almost black,
cross-bands, the first sending an extension forward to the posterior border of
the parietal shields; a dark streak on each side of the head; below bluish gray
marbled and flecked with whitish.

This species is remarkably uniform in colouration. A few variations occur
among the head scutes, thus the preoculars may be fused into a single scale;
five instead of four lower labials may be in contact with the anterior chin-shields.
From various sources we find the range of counts to be ventrals 131-167; anal
divided; subecaudals 48-81. Boulenger (Cat. snakes, Brit. mus., 1893, 1,
p. 282) says: —

“Olive or blackish above, with or without blackish cross-bands; a more or less distinct

light lateral streak on the second and third rows of scales; a dark streak on each side of the
head, passing through the eye; belly orange or red, dotted or spotted all over with brown
or brown dotted with pale.”
These remarks are very far from being in accord with our considerable experi-
ence of this snake in the field. We have never seen a blackish example, nor one
lacking the cross-bands, nor one with red or orange on the belly. Boulenger
had but three specimens before him when he wrote the Catalogue and they were
probably badly preserved. The white lateral band, he mentioned, is always
found in the young, but we have never observed it on adults. In the young
also the dark cross-bands appear as oblong or squarish dorsal patches which
become extended into the strap-like bands with increasing age.

The Catibo or Quimbélo is wholly aquatic and also strictly nocturnal. By
day it may be found hiding beneath stones or in accumulations of drift vegeta-
tion, especially in the torrential mountain brooks. In these streams it occurs
quite abundantly, as in the more slowly flowing rivers or lagoons and lakes
choked with water plants. It is absolutely inoffensive and the largest indi-
viduals never open their mouths to bite when caught, nor offer the slightest
resistance. In the early morning or at dusk they may sometimes be seen partly
emerged from their lair, with their heads near the surface of the water. They
appear to breathe at the surface at very long intervals and we have never seen

194 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

one do so during midday, although we have found many specimens under rocks
by day, which we would surely have seen long before had they come forth to
breathe. By night they move about slowly in the water or lie in wait for their
prey, usually eyprinodonts, called in Cuba Guajacones, and then with the aid
of a light they may easily be collected. The natives in general have no fear of
this snake, and they have frequently told us that they have often felt them
swim against their legs while fording a river at night. Nothing whatever is
known of their breeding habits. With a single exception they have not been
observed on land for even a short time. In April 1917 Mr. W. 8. Brooks while
digging in a cave in the Sierra de Casas, Island of Pines, caught a very small
and young specimen; it was about eight inches long and more pallid in colour
than an adult. The cave was half a mile or more from the nearest small
stream and possibly had been resorted to for oviposition. Specimens a meter
in length are decidedly larger than the average.

The species is very widespread and fairly abundant in the rivers and streams
about Guane, especially the Rio Cuyaguateje, in the streams about Pinar del
Rio and San Diego de los Bafios, in the Lake and Rio Ariguanabo at San An-
tonio de los Bafios, in the streams about Cienfuegos, in the Rio Tana at Man-

zanillo, and in the waters near Guantanamo. The species is the only one of the
genus which occurs in the Antilles, although there are several species on the
mainland ‘occurring from Upper Central America to Ecuador.

61. ALSOPHIS ANGULIFER (Bibron).
Plate 15, fig. 7.
Jubo; Culebra.

Diagnosis: — A large, active terrestrial snake, usually slate coloured with
black spots. The black spots scattered and usually confined to a single scale.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 2,195. Cuba (a cotype Mus. Hist. Nat.
Paris).

Rostral much broader than high, barely visible from above; internasal
suture about equal to the prefrontal suture; frontal broader anteriorly, nar-
rower posteriorly than the supraoculars, a little longer than its distance from
the tip of the snout, shorter than parietal suture; nostril large, between two
large nasals; loreal medium, slightly longer than high; one preocular, not in
contact with frontal; two postoculars, about equal in size; temporals one
plus two; eight supralabials, third, fourth, and fifth in contact with eye; fifth

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 195 —

and those following it suddenly much larger than the others; five lower labials
in contact with anterior chin-shield which is shorter than the posterior; seven-
teen rows of smooth scales, with two conspicuous pores near the tip; 169 ven-
trals; anal divided; 115 pairs of subcaudals.

Colour (in life): —In general steel-gray sometimes greenish, sometimes
plum-colour, and sometimes distinctly reddish. Often scattered black spots
which appear upon the tail frequently at regular intervals. A dark stripe
between the eye.

Dimensions: — Total length 950 mm.

Vent to tip of tail 306 mm.

The Jubo reaches a very considerable size. Individuals of five feet are by
no means rare in the Cienaga de Zapata where the species is very abundant; a
female 5’ 8” long which contained fifty-eight eggs is in the collection of the junior
author. The snake has a curious habit of flattening the neck just posterior to
the head and waving the flattened portion about in a threatening manner.
This has given rise to a widespread belief among the country people that the
species is a very dangerous one, while the more ignorant ones also believe that
it lashes its enemies savagely with its tail; the same sort of belief which gave
rise to the name coach-whip snake among the negroes of the southern United
States. The Jubo is found widespread through the whole Island, but is much
more abundant in swampy lowlands and about lakes than in the forests or the
limestone Sierras. Specimens from Oriente which we have seen have the scales
each with a white dot at the apex and have given rise to the trinomial adspersus
(Gundlach & Peters, Monatsb. Berl. acad., 1864, p. 388). Dr. Stejneger’s
recent paper shows that all of the examples from Oriente in the U. S. N. M.
show this colour-character, so that the race A. angulifer adspersus may be con-
sidered established. The collection of the junior author substantiates this
observation. Generally speaking this is the most common ophidian of Cuba.

62. LEIMADOPHIS ANDREAE (Reinhardt & Liitkent).
Plate 15, fig. 8.
Jubito; Magdalena.

Diagnosis: — An active little snake, slender, mostly clear black but with
pure white markings scattered variously upon the sides and belly.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 10,900. Cuba: Cienaga de Zapata, March,
1915. Thomas Barbour.

196 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

Rostral scarcely visible from above; internasal suture very slightly shorter
than prefrontal suture; frontal long and narrow, as long as parietal suture,
but slightly shorter than the parietals; loreal almost square; one large pre- and
two postoculars; one large and broad anterior temporal, followed by two lesser
temporals; eight supralabials, third, fourth, and fifth entering eye; posterior
chin-shields much longer than anterior; scales in seventeen rows many with
a single rather inconspicuous apical pit; 145 ventrals, anal divided, subcaudals
96 pairs.

Colour (in life): — Black above, usually a white spot on each scale of the
lowest lateral row, gastrosteges grayish or white with a black posterior margin;
chin and upper lip white; a white line around the canthus from eye to eye,
white spots just behind each parietal shield.

Dimensions: — Total length 501 mm.
Vent to tip of tail 80 mm.

Specimens of Leimadophis collected in the Island of Pines were much more
profusely marked with white than specimens from western Cuba and were
named L. nebulatus (Barbour, Ann. Carnegie mus., 1916, 10, p. 305). Since
then the junior author has sent to the M. C. Z. similar specimens from Oriente.
The fact that all the Island of Pines specimens seem to be peculiarly marked while
only those from a distant part of Cuba bear similar markings would suggest that
the name nebulatus might for the present, at least, be allowed to stand, and
possibly we must recognize a similar race peculiar to Oriente for which the
name orientalis would be appropriate (Typr, M. C. Z. 11,726 from Guantanamo).

———

Dr. Stejneger’s recent paper (loc. cit., p. 285) also concludes that there
may be three races in this species. All of his examples except one from Oriente
being differently marked from the eastern series.

We may also in this connection discuss the supposed Cuban species Dromi-
cus temporalis Cope. Gundlach says that the species was collected at Monte
Verde by Charles Wright and that he had never seenit. Turning to the original
description, however (Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1860, p. 370), we find that
Cope says ‘‘ Habitat probably Cuba. Mus. Comparative Zoédlogy, Cambridge,

b]

Mass.”’; an early and faded label apparently in Cope’s handwriting indicates
the type as M. C. Z. 297. The type though very poorly preserved really repre-
sents, as Boulenger has stated, Urotheca lateristriga Berth. a Central American
species. It must therefore be removed from the list of Cuban species. Cope

also (loc. cit., p. 371) describes Scolecophis fumiceps with similar data, viz.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 197

“probably Cuba,” and the type supposed to be in the M. C. Z. This speci-
men cannot be found but from the description is evidently a Tantilla, also
doubtless Central American.

To return to Leimadophis andreae we may say that it is a common and
widespread lowland species, apparently more abundant in the region of the
Cienaga de Zapata than elsewhere. It often burrows underground and is very
frequently turned out by the plough. It shows these varied types of coloura-
tion and a range of ventral and subcaudal counts, there being about 133-149
ventrals and about 85 to 100 pairs of subcaudals. The individuals common
about the Laguna de Manaté, a brackish lagoon near Guantanamo Bay, are
larger than those so common about the San Carlos Plantation some miles inland.
Here they live under the labourers’ houses coming up through the cracks in the
floors. In the casa vivienda they were often found living in cracks in the wall
close to the floor and even under the brick floors as well (Ramsden).

Key to the Species of Arrhyton.

Sue OUOrenERCAlOME mary ren Ui - % ee oo oy taeniatwm, p. TOY,
a? A loreal scale present.
busiworpremtontalsan-t ay ew S oi cl cs Ss) seers 4 unttatume p. 199
i) Ohta parame SS a oh oF oo pb eee) oo lola a am ee eer ey 74010)

63. ARRHYTON TAENIATUM Giinther.
Plate 15, fig. 10, 11.
Culebrita.

Diagnosis: — A small brown snake with two light longitudinal lines above
narrowly separated by a brown stripe. Ventral surface yellowish or cream-
colour. In old specimens the light dorsal stripes are barely visible. Size larger
than the following species, reaching eighteen inches.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 10,916. Cuba: Soledad, near Cienfuegos,
Spring of 1915. R. M. Grey.

Rostral projecting, much broader than high, distinctly visible from above;
internasal suture much shorter than prefrontal suture; frontal one and one
third times as long as broad; as long as its distance from tip of the snout which
is slightly longer than parietal suture; nostril between two nasals; no loreal;
one preocular not touching frontal; two postoculars the upper larger; temporals

198 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

1 +2; seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye; four lower
labials in contact with anterior chin shields which are shorter than the posterior;
seventeen rows of smooth scales around the body; 180 ventrals, anal divided;
86 subcaudals.

Colour (fresh in aleohol):— Rich mahogany-brown above, two lighter
stripes each covering two rows of dorsal scales extending from occiput to tail
and separated by the middorsal row which is dark brown like the sides. The
whole head and dorsal surface with a beautiful peach-blow iridescence; lower
surfaces creamy white. A few light spots and dots on snout and above the eyes.

Dimensions: — Total length 465 mm.
Length of tail 117.5 mm.

In M. C. Z. 8,507, a half-grown example from near Cojimar, Havana
Province, Cuba; spring 1913, T. Barbour collector, the colours are much lighter,
the light stripes are three instead of two scales wide and stand at much greater
contrast with the brown ground-colour of the back. The snout is rounded and
hardly projecting. The projecting rostral, so evidently modified for burrowing,
is apparently only acquired by the fully adult individuals. In this immature
example there are seventeen rows of scales, 168 ventrals, the anal is divided
and there are 89 subcaudals.

The small snakes of this and the following species are perhaps entirely
nocturnal. By day they are found turned up from the earth by ploughs or
hidden under flat stones. We have never seen one moving abroad and they
are entirely unknown to the majority of the Cuban country people. They may
be more strictly subterranean than nocturnal although this is not easy to prove,
the strongly modified projecting rostral region and the small ill-developed eye
with round instead of elliptical pupil suggest this possibility. These snakes
are very rare and are but poorly represented in museums. They also appear
to vary considerably, as is common with other species of similar habits,— and
some variations have given rise to synonymous names (cf. under A. vittatum).
Having seen the various specimens collected by the writers and those in the
museums of Washington and Havana there seems to be no reason to suppose
that this and the following species do not occur widespread throughout Cuba;
they have been found in a perfectly haphazard way from San Cristobal in the
west to the Guantanamo area in the east. More specimens have been taken
about the latter locality by Gundlach, Wright, and the writers than anywhere
else; probably because the locality has been more intensively collected.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 199

64. ARRHYTON viITTATUM (Gundlach & Peters).
Plate 15, fig. 12, 13.
Culebrita.

Diagnosis: — A small burrowing snake red above and white below with
two dark lateral stripes and generally a darker dorsal brown band. Size less
than the preceding species, usually about ten inches.

Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 10,846. Cuba: 10 miles 8. W. of Aguada
de Pasajeros, near Rio Hanabana, Spring of 1915. Thomas Barbour.

Rostral much broader than high, barely visible from above; internasal
suture far shorter than prefrontal suture; frontal one and one third as long as
broad, as long as its distance from the tip of snout which is about the same as
the parietal suture; nostril small, pierced in a single nasal; loreal moderate,
rectangular, longer than high; one small preocular, two postoculars the upper
the larger; temporals 1 + 2; seven upper labials, third and fourth entering
eye; four lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields; seventeen
rows of smooth scales around the body; 123 ventrals, anal divided, seventy-one
subcaudals.

Colour (in life): — Bright brick-red, a dark brown band from the middle
of the third to the upper third of the fourth rows of scales; no evidence of a
median middorsal stripe. Lower surfaces cream-yellow.

Dimensions: — Total length 244 mm.
Length of tail 82.2 mm.

M. C. Z., 7,925 from near Cienfuegos, 1910, R. M. Grey collector, is the
same as the specimen described in colour except that it has faded slightly and
has a distinct middorsal stripe. Its scale counts are 115 ventrals, anal divided,
fifty-three subcaudals.

M. C. Z., 7,952 from near the Rio Anallo, Cuba, collected by Barnum
Brown and received in exchange from Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 1910, is exactly
similar to the preceding in colour and counts 122 ventrals, anal divided, sixty
subcaudals.

We cannot see that this species differs from the preceding in habits or
distribution. We have seen no specimens nearly as large, nor none in which
the rostral region is modified as in the specimen of A. taeniatwm described or

200 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

in Cope’s type of the synonymous A. fulvwm in the U.S.N.M. We should say
that_this species seems to be a little more abundant than A. taeniatum but it

also is rare and entirely unknown to most native Cubans.

65. ARRHYTON REDIMITUM (Cope).

Diagnosis: — A small longitudinally striped burrowing snake, having
very few ventral scales (about 141) and but one loreal and one prefrontal.

Description: — (After Cope). One preocular, one loreal, one nasal. Ros-
tral plate small, obtuse. Dorsal scales smooth, poreless, in seventeen rows.
Tail elongate. Inferior labials, nine. Fide Bocourt ventrals 141, caudals 120.

Colour: — (After Cope). Brownish gray, lighter beneath. A narrow
dark line along the fourth row of scales. Another line upon the vertebral
series. Two light occipital spots.

We know nothing of this species, which Stejneger (loc. cit., p. 287) concludes
to be valid. We had believed that it was a synonym of A. vittatum until we read
Stejneger’s account (qg. v.). Only two specimens have been recorded, one, the
type (lost) but partially described by Cope, anda second by Bocourt.

It is either not Cuban at all or else excessively rare, while the possibility
that the records are based upon anomalous specimens is by no means excluded,
indeed rendered more probable, for in 1918 three additional examples of A. taent-
atum were found at Soledad near Cienfuegos (Barbour) and one A. vittatum was
taken near Cojimar (Sefior Fermin Cervera).

REPTILIA: TESTUDINATA.
TESTUDINIDAE.
66. PsrupEMys PALUSTRIS (Gmelin).
Plate 15, fig. 14-16.

Jicotea; Jarico (0%).

Description: —

“ Adult female; U.S. N. M. No. 25642; San Juan; [Porto Rico] January 14, 1899. Shell
moderately convex, the height being more than one-half the greatest width; length of cara-
pace less than two and a half times the height of the shell and about one and one-third times
its greatest width; carapace faintly keeled and with longitudinal wrinkles crossed by radiat-
ing ridges, which are especially strong on the anterior costals; nuchal narrow; first vertebral
shield urceolate, anterior and posterior sutures of same length; lateral sutures of second,

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 201

third, and fourth vertebrals much longer than the anterior and posterior sutures; vertebrals
much narrower than costals; posterior margin of carapace slightly serrate, each of four pos-
terior marginals on each side being faintly emarginate; carapace broader behind than in front,
the posterior marginals flaring out considerably; plastron less than two thirds and more
than one-half the greatest width of the carapace; the posterior lobe a trifle wider than the
antetior, its length much less than the width of the bridge; abdominal suture longest, equaling
those of the pectorals and femorals together; humeral suture shortest; gulars projecting,
cut off squarely anteriorly; plastron slightly emarginate behind; axillars and inguinals large,
latter largest; head moderate; snout short, pointed, feebly projecting; upper jaw with a very
slight median notch, no cusps; jaws feebly denticulated; alveolar surface broad, with a
deep notch behind on the median line; symphysis of mandible as broad as one-half the long-
est diameter of the orbit; digits connected with broad webs. Color (in alcohol) of carapace
above nearly uniform tawny olive; plastron yellowish, with obscure dusky symmetrical
sinuous markings all over; top of head without markings; yellowish lines narrowly edged with
blackish on sides and under surface of head and neck, one from the nostrils crossing the
upper jaw obliquely and ending abruptly at the posterior angle to the mandible, another from
above the nostrils, crossing the eye to the lower posterior edge of the orbit, and thence
obliquely down and backward to the corner of the mouth, continuing backward under the
tympanum down the side of the neck; two fainter lines, one between the two just described
and one above the transocular line, crossing the tympanum; a line on the symphysis of the
mandible bifureating on the chin and a third median line originating on the chin a short
distance behind the fork, the three continuing parallel down the under side of the neck; two
similar but wider lines on the upper side of the fore legs and two on the under side of the hind
legs.”” SreJNEGER, Ann. rept. U. S. N. M. for 1902, 1904, p. 711-713.

In spite of popular belief there is but one species of Jicotea found in Cuba,
which is also found in Jamaica, Haiti, Porto Rico, and the Island of Pines. So
far no separation has been made of individuals from these several localities,
although it is by no means improbable that in the future it may be determined
that valid, recognizable races occur upon each island.

The Jicotea is found in suitable situations all over the Island. In the
larger rivers such as the Rio Cauto it is abundant although it is constantly
diminishing in numbers since many individuals are killed and eaten. In western
Cuba large numbers may be seen in Lake Ariguanabo and in the river into which
it empties only to disappear in a limestone cavern within the town of San An-
tonio de los Bafios. The Jicoteas are sensitive to the least cool weather and are
only seen at their best when basking in the torrid rays of a vertical sun. Their
flesh is delicious, and if measures for their preservation are not taken it is prob-
able that the march of time will see them exterminated. The species is already
far from common in Porto Rico and Jamaica.

In the market place at Guantanamo they bring from *.40—*.60 each. They
are often caught by submerging a deep pouch of chicken wire held open by an
iron ring. This hangs from a pulley operated from some overhanging limb.

202 | THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

A piece of meat is hung about the net for bait and while the turtles are tugging
at the meat the whole affair is hoisted and they are caught. They are then
kept in a stockade or pen in shallow water and fed upon table-scraps until needed.
They are also often caught by sinking a barrel until its rim is only about
six inches above water. A plank is laid across the barrel’s open end and slant-
ing boards make this a convenient place to “‘take the sun” as the Cubans say.
But when evening comes they dive from the cross-boards into the barrel, whence
they cannot escape.

REPTILIA: LORICATA.

CROCODYLIDAE.

Key to the species of Crocodylus.

a! Four nuchal scales, no longitudinal ridge in front of eye . . . . . . . . acutus, p. 202
a2 Six or eight large nuchal scales, an obtuse ridge infrontofeacheye . . . . . rhombifer, p. 203

67. CRocoDYLUS AcuUTUS Cuvier.
Plate 12, fig. 1.
Caiman.

Diagnosis: — A crocodile having four nuchal scales forming a square, a
more or less distinct median ridge or swelling along the middle of the snout and
no longitudinal ridge in point of the eye. Colour rather light olive, yellowish
beneath.

Description: — This creature is so widely known that a detailed description
would be quite superfluous. The diagnosis given above serves to distinguish
this species from C. rhombifer the ‘only other with which it might be confused.

The remarks quoted from Gundlach and added under C. rhombifer include
much information regarding this species, as well. While C. rhombifer is essen-
tially Cuban, C. acutus is very widely distributed. It is still found spar-
ingly in some of the Keys and about Cape Sable in Florida although it has
probably been quite exterminated in Biscayne Bay, whence Jeffries Wyman
recorded it in 1870. It is rare but still to be found in both Haiti and Jamaica,
while about the estuaries and saline lagoons of the coasts of Honduras and
Nicaragua it is excessively abundant. In general its range in Central America
may be said to extend from the coasts of Vera Cruz at least to Darien and on
the Pacific coast it occurs from western Mexico to Ecuador.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 203

In Cuba it is still widely distributed but, of course, gradually becoming
rarer. It occurs in ponds in the mangrove swamps, in estuaries and about
river mouths always associated with salt or brackish water. Many were ob-
served in the Estero de Juan Hernandez west of Palo Alto on the south coast
of the Province of Camaguey, in 1915; but none were seen or heard in 1917
about the shores of the Ensenada de Cochinos (Barbour). Here C. rhombifer
comes to salt water and the local belief is without doubt true that the two
species are never found in the same localities. This crocodile was formerly
common about the mouth of the Guantanamo River and the smaller streams
which enter that bay, but like so many of the larger water birds they are, since
the establishment of the Naval Station, very rare as they afford a too tempting
a target to the more or less irresponsible “sportsmen.”

68. CROCODYLUS RHOMBIFER Cuvier.
Plate 12, fig. 2.
Cocodrilo.

Diagnosis: — A crocodile having six or eight large nuchal scales, and with
a more or less marked obtuse ridge in front of each eye. Colour very dark olive
everywhere flecked and vermiculated with yellow. These spots most abundant
upon the sides and limbs.

Description: — While this crocodile is peculiar to Cuba and the Island of
Pines and now rare and restricted in its distribution the diagnosis given above
will serve to separate it at once from its only congener in Cuba. For this
reason and since it cannot be confounded with any other creature a detailed
description is quite uncalled for.

Curiously enough there has existed in the literature on these two animals
a persistent error regarding their lay names. Thus Humboldt began by call-
ing rhombifer the ““Caiman.’”’ His error was repeated, so Gundlach tells us,
by Pichardo in the first editions of his “Diccionario de Voces Cubanas” and the
same mistake was later made by Cocteau in Ramon de la Sagra’s History.
Gundlach corrected this error in his Erpetologia Cubana, in 1880, and pub-
lished as well a long and really absorbing account of his observations upon the
two Cuban crocodiles during his many years of opportunity to know them.
During the last few years the senior author has made three visits to the Cienaga
de Zapata and a few of his notes on the present status of C. rhombifer conclude
the remarks upon the species.

204 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

A free translation of Gundlach’s fascinating and simple Spanish style fol-
lows: —

“T have kept in the same tank for many years two Cocodrilos and one Caiman, and
thus I have been able to observe them constantly. The Cocodrilo walked with its legs in
such a position as to carry its abdomen lifted from the ground, while the Caiman walked with
its abdomen against the ground. This gives more agility to the Cocodrilo, and also makes
it appear higher than the other. Humboldt says referring to the Cocodrilo “that it was very
daring.” This I have also been able to confirm by observations. My specimen of the
Caiman was a larger animal than either of the two Cocodrilos, but even so it would run away
from them when I fed them, making it necessary that I feed first the Cocodrilos and when
these were satisfied, the Caiman. If the Caiman was in the water it would at once leave it
upon the entrance of either of the Cocodrilos. Humboldt also says “they never mix with
each other.” This I have also found to be true from my experience in the Cienaga de Zapata
which is inhabited by hundreds of Cocodrilos, and there is not a single Caiman to be seen.
I have been assured that the same conditions exist in the Isla de Pittios. The Cocodrilo
lives in fresh waters, the Caiman in mixed or brackish waters at the mouth of streams, as
also in nearby lagoons even if these are of fresh water. There are many places on the coast
of the Island of Cuba, which are known as “Caimaneras”’ by reason of the abundance of
Caimanes. Of these I mention the two best known, which I have personally visited, one in
Cienfuegos harbour, and the other in the harbour of Guantanamo. While I am making
comparisons of the two species, I shall indicate the principal difference between them as to
the length of the snout; it cannot be determined unless one has the two species together for
comparison. The difference that may best be noted when one has but one species, or a part
of the body only are: the Cocodrilo has six perfect rows of keeled scales, while the Caiman
has but four perfect rows, the other two being imperfect and scattered. The eye of the
Cocodrilo is dark olivaceous, while that of the Caiman is light greenish. The colour of the
body of the Cocodrilo is variegated yellow on a dark background, while that of the Caiman
is uniform ashy green.

“One may read most interesting accounts of this group of Cuban animals in la Sagra,
but with all I must correct some of those data. On the bottom of page 40 he says “We feel
we have reason to indicate that the species known in that country (Cuba) by the name of
Cocodrilo (C. acutus) rarely grows to the size of the other species, Caiman, which reaches
a length of from six to seven feet, but we cannot explain the reason for this &c. &e.’ In
the first place one must invert the names in the above quotation, as I have already said that
the Cocodrilo is the Crocodilus rhombifer, while the Caiman is the C. acutus; in the second
place, it is quite impossible to know which of the two reaches the greatest length, as this
depends on the age of the individual who continues growing in size throughout his whole life;
and in the third place they may reach three times the length indicated by Cocteau. I have
seen, (and in fact have its skull), a Cocodrilo (C. rhombifer) whose length was sixteen and one
half feet, and a Caiman (C. acutus) eighteen feet in length. Neither of these are, I am sure,
the largest that grow.

“Again Cocteau says: ‘Both these Crocodiles live in the same places, but always fight-
ing each other.’ I have already said that they do not live in the same localities. Some
may call my attention to the fact that there have been Caimans taken from the river Hati-
guanico which drains the Cienaga de Zapata, the latter being full of Cocodrilos; to these I
shall answer that this river is brackish near its mouth, where it enters Broa bay.

“On page 50 of the same work one may read an observation of la Sagra’s that a five foot
individual kept at the Botanical Gardens at Havana in a corral made of stout stakes driven

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 205

into the ground to a depth of two feet dug subterranean galleries by which it escaped. I
have nothing to say against this, (as I have been assured that the Caiman digs caves in which
they hide), though I myself have only seen the Caiman casually upon my travels. However
it is stated at the end of the article in question that this individual was a C. rhombifer later
presented to the Museum of Natural History at Paris. My observations show that the two
Cocodrilos kept at my home never dug out the shallowest cavities, neither have the inhabi-
tants of the Cienaga ever seen any of their dens. The Crocodrilos of the Cienaga de Zapata
retire as the waters recede or dry up, to the nearby lakes, or to the deeper holes of the swamp
itself. The females leave the water for egg laying, digging a hole or trench in the shore close
to the water; all the eggs are laid at one time, and are covered by the dirt taken out of the
trench. I have been unable to find out the time one takes to deposit her eggs, as also the
time of incubation, but I do know that it takes some weeks. Mr. Francisco Sauvalle gave
me a set containing sixty eggs, (I do not know what the maximum number may be) of the
Caiman. After a long time I tried to empty some of these eggs for my collection; upon
opening one of them I heard sounds from within, and when IJ had fully opened it I took out
of it an embryo, which was to all appearances ready to emerge. I firmly believed this, as it
tried to bite me, but upon a closer examination found that it still had a small sac of yolk
attached to its abdomen at the umbilicus. I withdrew from the eggs other embryos to be
put into alcohol. One morning two weeks later, the remaining eggs were cracked and the
embryos had all beea hatched at the same time. These differed from the ones I had taken
out, only in that these did not have the yolk attached as had the others. Two of the eggs
being larger than the rest I suspected that they might contain twins. ‘I was anxious to learn
whether these were malformed or stuck together, or whether they were normal, so I opened
them, very carefully, longitudinally so that I might be able to keep the shells; finding within
the two embryos quite normal and separated from each other.

“The eggs measured 73 X 47 millimeters or 81 X 42 millimeters, while the double eggs
measured 100 X 50 millimeters. Both extremities were alike, the color of the egg being vitre-
ous white, not unlike crockery, and very hard. The Cocodrilo egg of my collection measures
78 X 52 millimeters. The young Caimans grow very slowly but quicker than the adults
or the half-grown. I have no notes as to their growth, but I have reared an alligator from the
Mississippi which I received in 1868, when newly hatched, from my friend Poey. I carried
him home in an empty cigar box (the 100 cigar size), and after four years he had only grown
to a length of thirty inches. This animal was very tame, leaving the water, upon a signal
given by me, to receive its food which consisted in fowl entrails and bits of beef. Its tameness
made it a great pet, which at the same time was the cause of its undoing, as it was stolen from
me.

“Both of the Cuban species will leave the water, climbing upon a log or stone or remain-
ing upon the ground, but take quickly to the water upon the approach of man. After a little
while they may come up some distance away, never showing but just the top of their heads,
that is to say, only that part from the nasal openings to the back of the two elevations on
each side produced by the prolonging backward of the postorbital crest. The eyes remain
above the surface of the water. As one approaches, the visible portion disappears under water,
the course of the animal being easily seen by the ripples on the surface. I have never seen
individuals over two and one half to three Spanish yards in length in the parts of the Cienaga
where I have hunted them, but in an interior lagoon known as “El Tesoro” there are indi-
viduals six varas in length and perhaps longer. The Cocodrilo sixteen and a half feet long
whose skull I have, was killed in that lagoon.

“Another notable difference between the two species is the strong musky odor of the
Caiman. Whenever I angered a Caiman it would swell up, at the same time a cone-shaped

206 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

body, denoting the position of the gland that disseminated a strong odor of musk, could be
seen on each side of the throat. I have not seen this gland in my tame Cocodrilos, nor in
any of the many that I have shot in the Cienaga de Zapata. I cannot be sure that the gland
does not exist, but I do assert that it is not visible externally, and that this species does not
exude the musky odor.

“The popular saying is that the Cocodrilo, and perhaps the Caiman, will ery like a child
in order to attract attention. I have heard them produce a sound but once, this was like the
hoarse bellowing of a bull, and was produced by the o of my pair. I am led to believe that
this sound is made only at mating time. This sound may probably be heard often in the
“Taguna del Tesoro.” I once saw the penis of the male in erection, its color was carmine.

“ Another belief is that these animals open their mouths so that it may become filled
with flies, then it is shut and the flies are swallowed. I have noticed however that they open
their mouths when basking in the sun, whether there are flies present or not, and as they have
no tongue they could not swallow such small objects. It is my belief that they shut their
mouths, because of the tickling caused by the flies, doing so with a noise like a hand-clap.

“They will swallow at once a small animal or piece of beef, but if it be a large one, they
will hold it, shaking it the while until perhaps a part may be shaken off. This they will
swallow, then continue the process. Another method is to allow the object to rot when it
may be the more easily shaken to pieces. These animals do not chew, nor can they cut their
food into bits with their teeth. These are used for holding their prey, as also for tearing which
is accomplished by a twisting motion such as is used in pulling a nail with pincers. I have
often noticed that when I fed large pieces of beef to my Cocodrilos, if a part of it remained
outside the mouth, the other Cocodrilo would seize it and by twisting his body rapidly round
and round would pry the morsel from the owner’s mouth. I should also mention that if the
prey was a large animal it would be drawn under, and thus killed; this happens with a pig or
dog. It is known that they have killed human beings. I shall recite an episode told me by
Don Helvecio Lanier. Once while this gentleman was on the Isla de Pinos at Nueva Gerona,
one of the numerous prisoners of war interned there insisted upon bathing in a river which
was known to be inhabited by a large Caiman. No sooner had he jumped in than he was
seized by the beast and pulled under; his companions being infuriated laid traps and caught
the animal, which they would have torn to pieces had not Sr. Lanier intervened asking them to
allow him to remove the hide, after which they tore the body into bits. Nine foot Cocodrilos
or Caimanes are not to be feared, I myself have gone into lagoons up to my chest where they
abound, and instead of attacking they have always run away.

“T have found it easier to kill them with shot, even if this be of medium size, than
with ball the latter must strike at right angles to the skin, else it will rebound upon striking
the hard outside integument, the soft under parts being below water. By using bird shot,
aiming between the eyes, the shot spreading, some of them will enter through the orbits
and perhaps reach the brain. Upon being shot the Cocodrilo will roll about for a few minutes,
after which it will become so tired that it will allow itself to be taken by the end of the tail
and dragged ashore, there to be dispatched with very little resistance. The Cocodrilo while
being dragged will not turn against its tormentor, but will do its utmost to pull itself away.
One must take care however not to stop once the dragging process is begun so as not to allow
the beast a chance to defend itself. I have killed all the Cocodrilos I have shot at. In
capturing a Cocodrilo with a lasso, one must be careful always to keep the rope in a straight
line away from its long axis, as if it happens to get at right angles, the animal will roll over
and over, very quickly winding up the rope about its body and finally reaching its captor’s
hands, when there is danger of being bitten. If the animal is left tied fo any length of time

1 It must be recalled that Gundlach had only very antiquated fire-arms.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 207

it may untwist the rope. This happened to me on one occasion when I left one tied to a tree
whose branches were above the surface ef the water of a lagoon. Upon returning a few
days later I found the rope untwisted and the captive gone. Another method of killing the
Cocodrilo is used by the hunters of the Cienaga de Zapata. The animal is approached
stealthily by the hunter with a machete in his right hand and his hat in the other, the latter
is moved slightly and upon being noticed is attacked by the Cocodrilo. At the rush the
man deftly cuts through the beast’s neck with his machete severing the spinal column which
disables him. Care must be taken not to get within reach of the blows of the Cocodrilo’s
tail, as it is well known that mutilated reptiles live for a long time, weeks, and sometimes
for months. I had an example of this in my room, where I had killed for mounting a Coco-
drilo brought from the Cienaga. I quickly skinned him leaving the head attached to the skin,
and while cleaning it I touched a nerve and the mandibles at once contracted, while I still
had both»my arms in the beast’s mouth; it became necessary to place a stick between the
jaws to keep them open. To catch them with a lasso, one must tie within the noose and to it,
a piece of meat that will float, as for instance a lung or a dead bird; the Cocodrilo upon seiz-
ing it will shake it, thus tightening the noose about its upper jaw. It is better that the noose
be made of untwisted strands of Majagua bark which will enter the better between the teeth
and not slip.

“Still another way of taking him is when he comes ashore at an accustomed place;
a strong pole or light sapling is firmly placed upright in the ground, a noose is attached to
the upper end of it, it is then bent over, the noose being held close to the ground by a trigger,
which upon being stepped on by the Cocodrilo springs the trap lifting the victim into the air,
hanging him.

“The fat of both species is used as_a remedy for certain diseases of horses; while those
parts of the hide which are free from the larger scales are used in the manufacture of footwear;
the penis of the male after being crushed into powder is used in curing lockjaw, and is sup-
posed to have antispasmodic virtues. The eye-teeth (canine-teeth) after being adorned
with gold or silver are used as punk-holders for the flint fire-lighting apparatus. To the
smaller teeth has been attributed virtue in facilitating teething, when they are made into a
necklace and hung about a child’s neck.

“T should also mention that these animals will live for a long time without food or drink
as I am personally sure of this from the following experience. I received at the beginning
of February a small Cocodrilo about two-thirds of a yard in length from my friend Poey;
the specimen was tied to a board with its mouth closed. I was afraid to place it in the same
pen where I had my large Cocodrilo lest the larger should do harm to the smaller creature,
so I left the animal as I received it, without food, drink, or bathing, till the middle of July
of the same year, when I finally was forced to place it in the yard with the large one, as I
had been unable to construct a separate pen. He seemed to be none the worse for his long
fast, showing no sign of weakness. In this case the larger animal did no harm to the new
arrival, but on another occasion a small Cocodrilo was swallowed, head first, by the larger
one.

“The labourers of the Cienaga cut off the tail of the young Cocodrilos for food. I was
anxious to try this morsel, and did so with my friend Mr. Chas. Wright. It was cooked as
if it were lobster and was very savoury indeed; I should imagine that an adult would be unfit
to eat, as also the Caiman, which has a strong musky odor. Poey on page 106, vol. 2 of his
Repertorio, adds a note to my “Revista y Catalogo de los Reptiles Cubanos” saying that
he had tasted the tail “finding in it a strong disagreeable musky taste.” Perhaps my friend
was given the tail of the Caiman instead of that of the Cocodrilo.

“There is a general belief that a Cocodrilo cannot capture a person or an animal if the

208 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

pursued keep zigzaging and making sharp turns, as it is supposed that the reptile cannot turn
quickly. This, however, is a mistake as with but a single movement it can turn in a semi-
circle with its head pointing in the direction where the tail was, and vice versa. What is
true is, that they cannot reach up very high, nor can the head be twisted unless the whole
body be turned at the same time. The pen in which I kept my specimens was surrounded
by a four foot wall, which the larger six and eight foot specimens could not scale. I have
said that they could not twist the head by itself, but they can twist head and body very
rapidly. When I touch one of them on the side with a stick, instead of his moving away, he
will turn in the direction of the stick.

“Tn swimming, the tail is used with a sculling movement and not the legs. In catching
their prey they will mark the place, submerge, swim in that direction, and rise at the precise
spot. The hunters knowing this will step to one side and as the animal appears, deal a blow
with the machete or else use the ruse with their hat as I have explained above.”

At the present time rhombifer is still abundant in the Zapata swamp,
although large individuals are very seldom seen. Of six or seven individuals
shot none was over seven feet long (Barbour). A mutilated skin, however,
in 1913 in the possession of Dr. Campos at the town of Aguada de Pasajeros
measured nearly twelve feet in length. Individuals far larger are still reported
from the inaccessible interior of the swamp. While riding on horseback or
wading through the “tembladera,” or ooze, crocodiles are often encountered.
The inner marshes of the Cienaga in general consist of an enormous deposit
of silt, partially held in suspension in water and resting on a firm limestone
substratum. In some localities one meets with muddy lakes or the clogged-
up course of some sluggish stream like the lower Rio Hanabana but generally
the ooze is sufficiently compacted to support a sort of half floating vegetation
of rushes and reeds and in certain areas the great curled-up lily pads which in
the Florida Everglades are called “bonnets” are found abundantly. It is
among these only that one meets the little yellow rail (Porzana flaviventris)
and here generally the crocodiles as well. Lying almost submerged and quite
hidden among the “bonnets” they remain motionless until one approaches.
Then they sink down and stay quiet or move slowly away through the layer or
zone of comparatively liquid mud below the matted roots of the superficial
plants. For this reason it is by no means uncommon for the collector or his
horse to touch a crocodile so hidden and one that had sunk so quietly that his
presence was quite unsuspected. When touched the creature with a sudden
squirm thrusts his head clear of the surface apparently to see what has hap-
pened and then at a range of but a couple of feet the beast may be killed with
almost any sort of fire arms. The senior author met several crocodiles in this
way and killed them with a twenty gauge shot gun and bird shot.

It is worth mentioning that Boulenger and others have always spoken of

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 209

this crocodile as a small species. It will be observed from what Gundlach
records that this is far from being the case. We have not been able to hear of the
occurrence of such large individuals in the Cienaga of the Island of Pines. Here
the species is said still to occur quite abundantly, although perforce it is restricted
to a smaller area than that occupied by the colony of Cuban individuals. The
skull ot Gundlach’s great example which he mentions is now in the Museo
Gundlach of the Havana Instituto de Segunda Ensefianza. It is in a tight
case and can not be measured but appears fully two feet long.

We believe that Crocodilus moreleti A. Dumeril from “‘ Lac Flores, Yucatan”’
was really based upon a Cuban specimen of rhombifer carried to Central America
and sent from there to Europe by Morelet who collected it during a visit to Cuba
en route. Prof. de la Torre tells us that various molluscs were named which
had this same history. The Alligator lacordairei of P. de Borre (Bull. Acad.
roy. Belg. 1869, ser. 2, 28, p. 110, plate —) is we believe based upon a young
Crocodilus acutus from Belize, although Boulenger places the name in the
synonymy of C. moreleti, a species which he recognizes as valid. Dr. Boulenger,
of course, did not know of the status of other species collected by Morelet.

Since the preceding account was completed several observations of inter-
est have been made.

During the winter or rather Cuban early spring (February and March)
of 1917 the senior author stayed, together with Messrs. John B. Henderson,
W.S. Brooks, and the late Goodwin Warner, with Mr. Walter Wilcox at his large
mahogany cutting on the eastern shore of the Ensenada de Cochinos, one of
the most inaccessible regions in the Island. Here we found peculiar conditions.
On the east side of the Bay the ‘‘seborucal” formation comes to the coast,
heavily forested. It is a hard tiresome journey over the “‘diente perro,” the
curiously eroded limestone, back from the salt water to the great reed-beds and
fresh-water pond of the true Cienaga de Zapata system. There are a few
bridle paths but moving about is painfully difficult. Numerous fresh streams
flow from the Cienaga to the Ensenada, partly under the limestone which often
sounds hollow under one’s horse’s feet, and partially open to the air where the
tunnel roof has been dissolved away or has fallen in. Here as in the reed-bed
ponds rhombifer abounds. Crocodiles are abundant, and we often saw rather
large individuals; one seen on several occasions was probably over eleven feet
long. On the opposite shore, the western, the conditions were very different.
We frequently hunted along this coast and tramped far inland with Wilcox
as guide; he had previously prepared the chart of the Bay since published by

210 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

the American Hydrographic Office. The west shore is a dreary waste, low,
sandy, and insect-ridden. The long white beach with its scrubby zone, behind
tide-reach, of spindly palms, beach grape, and Ipomoea was broken by an occa-
sional estero or salt-water inlet, muddy and fringed with a true forest of giant
mangroves. Inland were mile-long stretches of baked clay, dazzling white
and sizzling under a burning sun. These vast level stretches fill up during the
summer rains, el tiempo de las aguas, as the Cubans say, and then evaporate
and dry and crack during the rest of the year. Near the south coast the heavy
winds blow salt water up into some of the flat pans, and a more or less haphazard
harvesting of salt is carried on. The whole region should be a typical home
for Crocodylus acutus but it is not; C. rhombifer is abundant, in spite of Gund-
lach, even in the very shore mangroves themselves. We not only never even
saw an acutus but the natives all knew of the curious fact of its absence. Evi-
dently the habits which Gundlach noted in captivity obtain under wild condi-
tions and the common acutus, so widespread and at first sight apparently a
distinctly dominant type seems unable to compete with rhombifer.

The question least easy to answer is why should not rhombifer be extending
its range instead of the reverse. It is probably really a fresh-water loving
form which has only adapted itself to life in salt water at this one locality and
it is possible that this test or trial is but a transitory one or a recent manoeuvre.
De la Torre has often told us of the abundance of crocodile remains in the
Casimba de Jatibonico and in the deposits of fossils at the Bafios de Ciego
Montero. Photographs of a fossil skull, due to the kindness of Dr. W. D.
Matthew, show that these early crocodiles are identical with the existing
rhombifer. Dr..Matthew kindly allows me to mention this fact here. The
sloth bones recovered by de la Torre and the American Museum party under
Mr. Barnum Brown were often pitted with crocodile tooth marks. Evidently
when these deposits were laid down the Cienaga condition was widespread over
the central portion of Cuba and the unwary sloth was dragged to this death
by the formerly widespread C. rhombifer. Either the crocodiles dragged their
prey into the pockets, then submerged, which have now emerged into accessi-
bility or with the rising of the land the bones accumulated into the natural
receptacles by washing; this is very unlikely and the abundant associated
crocodile bones argue for the previous suggestion. Naturalists await with
impatience the appearance of the report by de la Torre and Matthew upon
these extraordinary finds.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 211

POSTSCRIPT.

During 1917-1918 the senior author spent fourteen months in Cuba and
made several interesting discoveries. A series of what had been called Sphaero-
dactylus picturatus secured in the Sierra de San Juan de los Perros shows that
that species should not be named as Cuban, and for these individuals the
name scaber has been given where previously picturatus was discussed in this
work. Another new Sphaerodactylus is described herewith and a note on
the Cuban Natrix also now rediscovered is added.

69. SPHAERODACTYLUS INTERMEDIUS, sp. nov.

Diagnosis: — A medium sized but slender Sphaerodactylus intermediate
in appearance between torre: which is stout bodied, and elegans which is even
more slender and smaller. Dorsal scales finely granular and neck marked with
four dark bands, between these a median gray and two outer white bands.

Description: —Typrr. Adult M. C.Z. 12,305. Cuba: Matanzas Province:
the Sierra de Hato Nuevo between Hato Nuevo (or Marti) and Sabanilla de
la Palma, February, 1918. Thomas Barbour.

Snout rather long, not sharply pointed but decidedly acute; the distance
from the tip of snout to the eye being slightly greater than that from eye to ear;
rostral large with a long median cleft behind; nostril between rostral, first
labial, two or three small postnasals and a large supranasal which is separated
from its fellow on the opposite side by two scales; four large and one small
supralabial to below the centre of the eye; a very feebly developed spine on the
upper eyelid; head above and sides covered with fine granular scales enlarged
upon the snout; scales of back round, juxtaposed, granular; mental large, two
postmentals; one very large, one medium and two small infralabials to below
centre of eye; scales of chin and anterior chest ‘region very small, flat, non-
imbricating; belly-scales larger, round, flat, imbricating; no regular series of
enlarged scales under the rather slender tail.

Colour (fresh specimens):— Body uniform brown, tail brown at base
fading into dirty yellow distally, tip pure white. A whitish horse-shoe mark
from eye to eye around the occiput followed by a pair of black bands separated
by a dirty white area; then a duskier zone followed by another similar pair
of dark bands separated by a lighter region. A very faint suggestion of another

212 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA.

pair of dark bands on the humeral region but the body uniform in colouration.

‘ Two identical specimens of this lizard were found the same day near Hato
Nuevo but no others were observed. When first caught and brought to Havana
we concluded that there could be no doubt but that these two individuals were
really very different from both torret and elegans. Subsequent comparison has
but strengthened this and these three species seen in life are vastly more differ-
ent in appearance than a comparison of the descriptions shows. <A fact which
is very frequently the case in this very confusing genus.

70. NatTRIX COMPRESSICAUDA (Kennicott).
Memiso, or ’Miso.

In March 1918 at the Punta de Judas near the boundary of Camaguey
and on the north coast of the Province of Santa Clara the first Natrix to have
been seen in Cuba in many years was found (Barbour). The snake about ten
inches long was found creeping over a narrow mud flat wet with salt water and
between tide marks in a region of extensive mangrove swamps. This specimen
has been compared with the greatest care with the description of Tropidonotus
cubanus Gundlach (Monatsber. Berl. acad., 1861, p. 1001), and both Dr.
Stejneger and ourselves have concluded that the example from Punta de Judas
agrees well with Gundlach’s description. The description, by the way, having
recited a scale count within the limits of variation known in T’retanorhinus
variabilis both Dr. Boulenger (Cat. snakes Brit. mus., 1898, 1, p. 282) and
the senior author has previously been misled into considering cubana a synonym
of this species. A careful comparison of the specimen from Punta de Judas
with the large series of N. compressicauda in the M. C. Z. shows the identity
of the Cuban with Floridian examples, and the Cuban snake (scales 217?) is
in practically all respects identical with M. C. Z. 7,786 from Key West.
A dark brown almost black snake with faint rather zigzag cross-band visible
when the light is favourable. This discovery reéstablishes Natrix as a West
Indian genus and relegates the species cubana to the synonymy of compres-
sicauda. The habit of living in mangrove swamps and in salt water makes
this distribution less remarkable than it would otherwise appear, although it
is very noteworthy that the species has crossed the swift Gulf Stream in its
migration and that if it has been long established in Cuba that no characteristic
variation through isolation has taken place. It must be a recent arrival in
Cuba.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 213

Gundlach remarks that he has found the species in streams near Cardenas
living in just the same way as Tretanorhinus variabilis, but he makes no mention
of its inhabiting the mangrove areas. In Cuba, where there is but one stream-
inhabiting snake, this form may easily have invaded the fresh waters from which
it is probably excluded in Florida by the abundance of competing types. The
junior author has seen a black ‘“‘memfso” at Guantanamo which may have been
this species.

Cope’s N. anoscopus (Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1861, p. 299) has never
been rediscovered in Cuba and from the description we believe that Cope had
an African species, N. fero.(Ginther)-before him. (Cf. Mem. Soc. Cubana
hist. nat., 1916, 2, p. 127).

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.

Fig. 5.

PLATE 1.

Hyla septentrionalis Boulenger. Nat. size.
M. C. Z. 2,655. Havana, Cuba. Thomas Barbour.
Bufo ramsdeni Barbour. 2 X nat. size.
M. C. Z. 3,212 Type. Los Hondones, Monte Libano, Guantanamo, Cuba. C.T. Ramsden.
Bufo empusus (Cope). Nat. size.
M. C. Z. 4,169. McKinley, Island of Pines. W.S. Brooks and Goodwin Warner.
Phyllobates limbatus Cope. 3 X nat. size.
M. C. Z. 7,843. Guabairo near Cienfuegos, Cuba. Rosamond and Thomas Barbour.
Gonatodes fuscus (Hallowell). Nat. size.
M. C. Z. 12,301. Guantanamo, Cuba. C. T. Ramsden.
E. N. Fischer, del.

Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool

HELIOTYPE CO. BOSTON

Herpetology ot Cuba

Plate

I

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.

Fig. 4.

PLATE 2.

Sphaerodactylus torrei Barbour. 3 X nat. size.

M.C. Z. 8,510 Type. Cabo Cruz, Cuba. Thomas Barbour.

Thesame. 2% X nat. size.

M. CG. Z. 8,508. Guantanamo, Cuba. Thomas Barbour and C. T. Ramsden.

Sphaerodactylus elegans MacLeay. 4 X nat. size.

M. C. Z. 10,910. San Antonio de los Banos, Cuba. Thomas Barbour.

Sphaerodactylus cinereus MacLeay. 2 X nat. size.

M. C. Z. 10,844. San Diego de los Banos, Cuba. Rosamond and Thomas Barbour.
E. N. Fischer, del.

—_

>

Mem. Mus. Comp. Zodl.

HELIOTYPE CO. BOSTON

Herpetology of Cuba.

Plate 2.

wy

PLATE 3.

Fig. 1. Sphaerodactylus nigropunctatus Gray. 3 X nat. size.

M. C. Z. 8,536. Monte Libano, Guantanamo, Cuba. C. T. Ramsden. :
Fig. 2. Sphaerodactylus notatus Baird. 3 X nat. size. :

M. C. Z. 8,513. Monte Libano, Guantanamo, Cuba. Thomas Barbour. C. T. Ramsden.
Fig. 3. Sphaerodactylus scaber. Barbour and Ramsden. 2} X nat. size.

M.C. Z. 7,952. Sierra de Jatibonico, Cuba. Barnum Brown.
Fig. 4. Anolis loysiana (Cocteau). 3 X nat. size.

M. C. Z. 8,511. Los Negros, Jiguani, Sierra Maestra, Cuba. Thomas Barbour.

: E. N. Fischer, del. ;

Plate

Herpetology of Cuba.

Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool.

HELIOTYPE CO. BOSTON

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Fig. 1. Anolis cyanopleurus Cope. 3 X nat. size.
British Museum 65.6. 12.18. Cuba. Juan Gundlach.
Fig. 2. Cricolepis typica (Gundlach and Peters). 3 X nat. size.
M. C. Z. 8,512. Cabo Cruz, Oriente, Cuba. Thomas Barbour.
E. N. Fischer, del.

Mem. Mus. Comp. Zodl. Herpetology of Cuba. Plate 4.

HELIOTYPE CO. BOSTON

PLATE 5,
Colour-pattern around middle of body.

Fig. 1. Tropidophis melanurus (Schlegel). 3 X nat. size.
M. C. Z. 10,901. Cienaga de Zapata, Cuba. Thomas Barbour.
Fig. 2. Tropidophis pardalis (Gundlach). 4 X nat. size.
M. C. Z. 10,840. San Antonio de los Bafos, Cuba. Thomas Barbour.
Fig. 3. Tropidophis maculatus (Bibron). 4 X nat. size.
M. C. Z. 12,141. Soledad near Cienfuegos, Cuba. Thomas Barbour.
‘ E. N. Fischer, del.

Mem. Mus. Comp. Zodl.

4
“J = g
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Herpetology o

som

Cuba.

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Fig. 1.

Fig. 2.

Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5.

Fig. 6.

PLATE 6.

Eleutherodactylus plicatus Barbour. 4 X nat. size.
M. C. Z. 3,056 Type. Monte Libano, Guantanamo, Cuba. C. 'T. Ramsden.
Eleutherodactylus auriculatus (Cope). 4 X nat. size.
M. C. Z. 4,175. Valley of Luis Lazo, western Cuba. Thomas Barbour.
Open mouth.
The same.
Manus.
Anolis lucius Duméril and Bibron. 6% X nat. size.
M. C. Z. 8,493. Abra del Rio Yumuri, Matanzas, Cuba. Thomas Barbour.
Anolis bremeri Barbour.
M. C. Z. 7,889. Herradura, Pinar del Rio, Cuba. Thomas Barbour.
Anolis cyanopleurus Cope. 15 X nat. size
(Bocourt, Miss. sci. Mexique, pl. 16, fig. 29).
British Museum. 65. 6.12-18. Cuba. Juan Gundlach.
Squamation of midregion of the tail.
E. N. Fischer, del.

Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool.

on)

==

— . ry = f= 1 | sa

PLATE 7.

Top of head.

Fig. 1. Anolis angusticeps Hallowell. 2

M.C. Z. 11,150. Sierra de Guane, western Cuba. Thomas Barbour.
Fig. 2. Anolis isolepis Cope.

M. C. Z. 8,514. Los Negros, Jiguani, Sierra Maestra, Cuba. Thomas Barbour.
Fig. 3. Anolis greyi Barbour. ,

M.C. Z. 7,890 Type. City of Camagiiey, Cuba. Rosamond and TDS Barbour.
Fig. 4. Anolis loysiana (Cocteau). 10 X nat. size.

M.C. Z. 8,511. Los Negros, Jiguani, Sierra Maestra, Cuba. Thomas Barbour,
Fig. 5. Anolis spectrum Peters. 12 X nat. size.

(Bocourt, Miss. sci. Mexique, pl. 16, fig. 24).
Fig. 6. Anolis argillaceus Cope.

M. C. Z. 8,781. Monte Libano, Guantanamo, Cuba. C. T. Ramsden.

E. N. Fischer, del.

Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool.

La

L>

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on: ase j

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PLATE 8.

Fig. 1. Anolis cyanopleurus Cope. 10 X nat. size.
British Museum. 65.6.12.18. Cuba. Juan Gundlach.
Side of head.
Fig. 2. The same.
Top of head.
Fig. 3. The same.
(Bocourt, Miss. sci. Mexique, pl. 16, fig. 29).
Top of head.
E. N. Fischer, del.

Mem. Mus. Comp. Zodl.

ga

Oe aeons
SSR ep
SEE cea

[5-3-7 4

=> wethsKins tears Om
SE eS

“SERRE ee

= rire;
rE

PLATE 9.
Fig. 1. Anolis alutaceus Cope. 12 X nat. size.
M. C. Z. 7,911. Madruga, Cuba. Rosamond and Homes Barbour.
Top of head. / ‘i
Fig. 2. Anolis rubribarbus Barbour and Ramsden. 8 X nat. size.
M. C. Z. 11,868 Paratype. El Puerta de Cananova, near Sagua de sratiaaner Oriente, Cuba.
V. J. Rodriguez y Verrier.
Top of head.
Fig. 3. The same.
Section of the tail, to show squamation of the “fin.”
E. N. Fischer, del.

Mem. Mus. Comp, Zool,

An i‘ ie

Peet

HELIOTYPE CO. BOSTON

a2,2
2, eita= a"
merce a
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2 as

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af

PLATE 10.
Top of head.

Anolis quadriocellifer Barbour and Ramsden. ‘
M. CG. Z. 11,867. Ensenada de Cajon, Cabo San Antonio, Cuba. Carlos de la Torre.
Anolis allogus Barbour and Ramsden.
M. GC. Z. 8,433. Monte Libano, Guantanamo, Cuba. Thomas Barbour and C. T. Ramsden.
Anolis mestrei Barbour and Ramsden.
M. GC. Z. 11,285. Valley of Luis Lazo, western Cuba. Thomas Barbour.
Leiocephalus raviceps Cope. 74 X nat. size.
M. C. Z. 10,928 Cotype. Monte Verde, eastern Cuba. Charles Wright.
Leiocephalus macropus Cope.
M. C. Z. 10,930 Cotype. (Monte Verde?) eastern Cuba. Charles Wright.
BE. N. Fischer, del.

Herpetolo

Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool.

0,
A,

J

REG
~

oS

2.
y

rs

ESS

xD

>
oor ys
Chet

LX

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

PLATE 11.

Cricolepis typica (Gundlach and Peters). 10 X nat. size.
M.C. Z. 8,512. Cabo Cruz, Oriente, Cuba. Thomas Barbour.
Top of head. :

Cyclura macleayi Gray.

(Barbour and Noble, Bull. M. C. Z., 1916, 60, plate 2.)

M.C. Z. 11,050. Valley of Luis Lazo, western Cuba. Carlos de la Torre and Thomas Barbour.

Side of head.
The same.
Top of head.
Typhlops lumbricalis (Linné). 14 X nat. size.
M. C. Z. 7,929. Soledad, near Cienfuegos, Cuba. Rosamond and Thomas Barbour.
Top of head.
The same.
Side of head.
Fig. 1, 4,5. EE. N. Fischer, del.
Fig. 2, 3. George Nelson, photo.

Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool. Herpetology of Cuba. Plate 11

HELIOTYPE CO. BOSTON

st

es ee

he’

ia 7

rw

Fig. 1.

Fig. 2.

PLATE 12.

Crocodylus acutus Gian
M. C. Z. 10,920. Isle of Pines. W. R. ras
Crocodylus rhombifer Cuvier.
M. C. Z. 12,081. West coast of Ensenado de Gichines southern Cuba.

George Nelieu; photo. >

Tho

Plate 12.

Herpetology of Cuba.

Comp. Zodl.

Mem. Mus.

HELIOTYPE CO. ROSTON

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

to

PLATE 13.

Bufo longinasus Stejneger.

U.S. N. M. 27,419 Type. El Guam, Pinar del Rio City, Cuba. William Palmer and J. H.

Riley.
Bufo peltacephalus Tschudi.

U.S. N. M. 28,024. Nueva Gerona, Island of Pines, William Palmer and J. H. Riley.

Top of head.
Eleutherodactylus ricordii (Duméril and Bibron).

U.S. N. M. 27,415. Pinar del Rio, Cuba. William Palmer and J. H. Riley.

Top of head.

The same.

Side of head.

The same.

Open mouth.

Eleutherodactylus dimidiatus (Cope).

U.S. N. M. 29,767. Guama, Oriente, Cuba. B.S. Bowdish.

Top of head.

The same.

Side of head.

The same.

Open mouth.

Eleutherodactylus cuneatus (Cope).

U.S. N. M. 26,654. San Diego de los Bafios, Cuba. William Palmer and J. H. Riley.

Top of head.

The same.

Side of head.

The same.

Open mouth.

Eleutherodactylus varians (Gundlach and Peters).

U.S. N. M. 27,417. El Guamé, Pinar del Rio, Cuba.

Top of head.

The same.

Side of head.

The same.

Open mouth.
Fig. 1. Stejneger, Proc. U.S. N. M., 1905, 28.
Fig. 2-14. Stejneger, Proc. U. 8. N. M., 1917, 63.

William Palmer and J. H. Riley.

ES a a

Plate 13.

Herpetology of Cuba.

Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool.

“=

peel 2 - 7 =
*
.
.
.
ry
-
.
a
.
‘
-
.
es
ra =
gt :

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

10.

itil

12.

13.

14.

* PLATE 14.

Tarentola cubana (Gundlach and Peters).
U.S. N. M. 29,777. Guamd4, Oriente, Cuba. B.S. Bowdish.
Chamaleolis chamaeleontides (Duméril and Bibron).
U.S. N. M. 27,502. San Diego de los Banos, Cuba. William Palmer and J. H. Riley.
Side of head.
The same.
Lepidosis of the side of the back.
Deiropteryx vermiculata (Duméril and Bibron).
U.S. N. M. 27,335. El Guamd, Pinar del Rio, Cuba. William Palmer and J. H. Riley.
Top of head.
Anolis equestris Merrem.
U.S. N. M. 27,504. San Diego de los Banos, Cuba. William Palmer and J. H. Riley.
Top of head.
Anolis argenteolus Cope.
U.S. N. M. 26,777. Near Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Leonhard Stejneger.
Top of head.
Anolis sagrei Duméril and Bibron.
U.S. N. M. 26,771. Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Leonhard Stejneger.
Top of head.
Anolis homolechis Cope.
U.S. N. M. 26,770. Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Leonhard Stejneger.
Top of head.
Anolis poreatus Gray.
U.S. N. M. 26,776. Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Leonhard Stejneger.
Top of head.
Norops ophiolepis (Cope).
U.S. N. M. 27,367. Pinar del Rio, Cuba. William Palmer and J. H. Riley.
Side of head.
Leiocephalus carinatus Gray.
U.S. N. M. 26,768. Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Leonhard Stejneger.
Top of head.
Leiocephalus cubensis (Gray).
U.S. N. M. 27,375. Pinar del Rio Cuba. William Palmer and J. H. Riley.
Top of head.
Celestus de la sagra (Cocteau).
U.S. N. M. 27,647. Cabafias, Cuba. William Palmer and J. H. Riley.
Top of head.
Ameiva auberi Cocteau.
J.S. N. M. 26,765. Santiago de Cuba. William Palmer and J. H. Riley.
Top of head.
Stejneger, Proc. U.S. N. M., 1917, 53.

Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool, Herpetology of Cuba. Plate 14.

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PLATE 165.

Cadea blanoides Stejneger.

U.S. N. M. 27,845. San Diego de los Banos, Cuba. William Palmer and J. H. Riley.
Top of head.

Amphisbaena cubana Peters.

U.S. N. M. 26,364. Matanzas, Cuba. J. W. Daniel, Jr.

Top of head.

Epicrates angulifer Bibron.

U.S. N. M. 27,498. San Diego de los Bafios, Cuba. William Palmer and J. H. Riley.
Side of head.

Tropidophis semicinctus (Gundlach and Peters).

U.S. N. M. 26,361. Matanzas, Cuba. J. W. Daniel, Jr.

Top of head.

The same.

Side of head.

The same.

Color pattern and section through middle of the body.

Alsophis angulifer (Bibron).

U.S. N. M. 27,501. San Diego de los Banos, Cuba. William Palmer and J. H. Riley.
Top of head.

Leimadophis andreae (Reinhardt and Liitken).

U.S. N.M. 26,764. Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Leonhard Stejneger.

Top of head.

Tretanorhinus variabilis Duméril and Bibron.

U.S. N. M. 27,393. El Guamé, Pinar del Rio, Cuba, William Palmer and J. H. Riley.
Top of head.

Arrhyton taeniatum Giinther.

U.S.N.M 12,421 Type of A. fuluum Cope. Cuba.

Side of head. .

The same.

Color pattern at about middle of the body.

Arrhyton vittatum (Gundlach and Peters).

U.S. N. M. 5,784 Type of A. bivitlatum Cope. Cuba.

Side of head.

The same.

Color pattern at about middle of the body.

Pseudemys palustris (Gmelin).

U.S. N. M. 27,629. Cabanas, Cuba. William Palmer and J. H. Riley.

Top of carapace.

The same.

Side view of shell.

The same. :

Lower view of plastron. F
Stejneger, Proc. U.S. N. M., 1917, 63.

Mem. Mus. Comp. Zodl, Herpetology of Cuba.

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