On the Shape of the Pupil in the Reptilian Genus Arizona

There has been, among herpetologists, much diversity of opinion as to the merits of Kennicott's genus Arizona. The validity of the single species for which he proposed the name Arizona elegans has, I believe, never been questioned, but the known generic characters have been rather inadequate. Accordingly, while some authors have followed Kennicott, others have referred the species variously to the genera Pituophis of Holbrook, Rhinechis of Michahelles, or Coluber of Linnæus.

I believe that all authors (myself included) who mention the point at all describe the eye of this snake as showing a round pupil. This is true of most alcoholic specimens, for in these the pupil usually is dilated. In two living specimens, however, I find that the pupil is slightly irregular in outline so that it appears somewhat eccentric, that it varies considerably in size from time to time, and that it is distinctly elliptic, with the long diameter vertical, but becomes nearly round when dilated. Some alcoholic specimens also show the pupil somewhat contracted and elliptic.

This point is of some importance, since the possession of a vertically elongate pupil is in itself ample basis for the recognition of the genus Arizona as distinct from the other colubrine genera with which it has been confused.

San Francisco, California,

February 24, 1906.

[1] Type.

[2] In fifty specimens the costal grooves are 17 in forty, 16 in six, and 18 in four.

[3] Type.

[4] Dr. Merriam tells me that a parallel is found in the island foxes, whose characters are constant on San Miguel but not on the other islands.

[5] Skilton's description, which seems to apply rather to the species afterward named by Baird and Girard Gerrhonotus principis, is as follows:

"Tropidolepis scincicauda, n. s. Slender, tail much longer than body, cylindrical. Dermal plates of the body and tail, carinate above, smooth beneath, verticillate. The carinate plates in nine rows. Color, dusky green above, light ash color below. A row of small dark spots on each flank. Another row of smaller ones along the vertebral line. Some of the dark colored scales on the flanks tipped with a whitish color. Length five to five and a half inches."

The plate accompanying Skilton's article is so poor as to throw no light on this question, and it seems best to make no change in the nomenclature until some one has examined Skilton's specimens, one of which, according to Yarrow's Catalogue, is No. 3089 of the National Museum collection.

[6] See Report, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. 1876, pt. 3, pp. 435, 445, etc.

[7] Since this was written I have been informed by Dr. F. Baker, of San Diego, that he has taken the following reptiles on these islands:—
North Coronado:
Gerrhonotus scincicauda [ignavus?], July 3, 1898,
Eumeces skiltonianus, July 3, 1898.
South Coronado:
Uta stansburiana, July 3, 1898,
Gerrhonotus scincicauda [ignavus?], July 3, 1898,
Cnemidophorus stejnegeri, July 3, 1898,
Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus, August 13, 1898,
Crotalus [oregonus], August 13, 1898.

[8] Type.

[9] Reproduced.

[9a] Reproduced.

[10] Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 2d ser. v. 10, 1852, p. 440.

[11] Miss. Sci. au Mex. Recherches zool. 3d pt. p. 460.

[12] Cat. Liz. Brit. Mus. v. 2, 1885, p. 299.

[13] Report, U. S. Nat. Mus. 1898 (1900), p. 674.

[14] Occas. Papers, Cal. Acad. Sci. 5, 1897, p. 116.

[15] Abh. Nat. Verein Hamburg, v. 9, Hft. 1, 1885, p. 9.

[16] Occas. Papers, Cal. Acad. Sci. 5, 1897, pp. 116, 118.

[17] Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 5th ser. v. 20, 1887, p. 50.

[18] Report, U. S. Nat. Mus. 1898 (1900), p. 675.

[19] Fauna Japonica, 1833, pp. 9, 12.

[20] Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1870, p. 410.

[21] Sketch Nat. Hist. Australia, p. 188.

[22] Austral. Vertebr. p. 39.

[23] Prodrom. Zool. Victoria, v. 2, 1885, p. 2.

[24] Cheeseman, Trans. New Zealand Inst. v. 25, 1893, p. 108.

[25] Cat. Chelon. Brit. Mus. 1889, p. 10.

[26] Essai sur l'Hist. Nat. du Chili, 1789, p. 194.

[27] Ann. Univ. Chile, v. 104, 1899, [separate pp. 3-6], pl.—.

[28] West Am. Scientist, v. 3, no. 24, 1887, p. 99.

[29] It is interesting to note the similarity of the account given by Captain Subritzky of the capture of his specimen, which is given by Cheeseman (Trans. New Zealand Inst. v. 25, 1893, p. 109) as follows: "When passing Cape Brett on a voyage from Awanui to Auckland, he noticed a floating object, which he at first took for a boat bottom upwards. The schooner's boat was lowered, and he proceeded to inspect it; when, to his astonishment, it suddenly disappeared, shortly afterward reappearing a little distance further away. Returning to his vessel, he secured a harpoon and line, and then pulled cautiously up to the creature, soon recognizing it to be a large turtle-like animal entirely new to him. After a little manœuvering he succeeded in harpooning it in the neck. According to him, it made a most determined resistance, making for the boat open-mouthed, snapping its jaws violently. It succeeded in getting its flappers over the side of the boat, nearly capsizing it, but was stunned by a blow on the head, towed alongside the schooner, and hoisted on board."

[30] Distant, Zoologist, 4th ser. v. 2, 1898, p. 500.

[31] Gervais, N. Arch. Mus. v. 8, 1872, pl. VII, fig. 2.

[32] Note.—Only a few copies of the original edition of this paper (Third Series, Vol. IV, Nos. 4 and 5, Zoology, pp. 61-67) had been distributed prior to the great fire of April 18, 1906, in which practically the entire edition was lost. To enable libraries and individuals to complete their files of the Proceedings this exact reprint is issued March 26, 1915.

Barton W. Evermann, Editor.

[33] Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1860, p. 246.

[34] N. A. Fauna, no. 7, 1893, p. 204.

[35] Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1883, p. 32.

[36] Report, U. S. Nat. Mus. 1898 (1900), p. 954.

[37] Occas. Papers, Cal. Acad. Sci. 5, 1897, p. 180.

INDEX TO VOLUME IV, THIRD SERIES, ZOOLOGY.

New names in heavy-faced type; Synonyms in italics.

adamanteus atrox, Crotalus, [18]
Amphisphiza belli, [66]
Anaides lugubris, [5]
Anniella:
The species of the Reptilian Genus Anniella with Especial Reference to Anniella texana and to Variation in Anniella nigra, [41-9]
nigra, [42], [43], [44], [48], [49]
pulchra, [41], [42], [43], [44], [45], [47], [48]
texana, [42], [43], [44], [45], [48]
anthonyi, Bascanion, [3], [4], [27]
Arizona:
On the Shape of the Pupil in the Reptilian Genus Arizona, [66-7]
elegans, [66]
atrox, Crotalus, [18], [24]
attenuatus, Batrachoseps, [3], [6], [7], [16]
auriculata, Uta, [3], [4], [26],
Autodax lugubris, [4], [5]
lugubris farallonensis, [2], [3], [4], [5]

Bascanion, [25]
anthonyi, [3], [4], [27],
laterale, [26], [66]
laterale fuliginosum, [3], [4], [26]
Batrachoseps attenuatus, [3], [6], [7], [16]
pacificus, [3], [4], [6], [7], [11]
becki, Sceloporus, [2], [3], [4], [9]
beldingi, Verticaria, [23]
belli, Amphispiza, [66]
biseriatus becki, Sceloporus, [3], [9], [10], [11], [12], [14],

Callisaurus ventralis, [3], [25]
catenifer, Pituophis, [3], [21]
catenifer deserticola, Pituophis, [21]
cerroense, Phrynosoma, [3], [4], [23]
clarionensis, Uta, [3], [4], [27]
clarki clarki, Sceloporus, [23]
Cnemidophorus labialis, [3], [4], [24],
multiscutatus, [3], [4], [24]
rubidus, [3], [25], [26],
tessellatus rubidus, [26]
tessellatus multiscutatus, [24]
tigris undulatus, [66]
Coluber, [66]
confluentus confluentus, Crotalus [18]
copeii, Crotaphytus, [25]
Crotalus adamanteus atrox, [18]
atrox, [18], [24]
confluentus confluentus, [18]
exsul, [3], [4], [24],
lucifer, [16], [18]
mitchellii, [3], [26]
oregonus, [3], [16], [18]
Crotaphytus copeii, [25]
wislizenii, [25]
curla, Hyla, [23]

Dermochelys:
On the Occurrence of the Leather-back Turtle, Dermochelys, on the Coast of California, [51-6]
Dipsosaurus dorsalis, [3], [24]
dorsalis, Dipsosaurus, [3], [24]

elegans, Arizona, [66]
exsul, Crotalus, [3], [4], [24]

Gerrhonotus, [18], [20]
multicarinatus, [14]
palmeri, [21]
scincicauda, [3], [10], [12], [14], [19], [20], [21]
scincicauda ignavus, [2], [3], [19], [21],
scincicaudus, [14]

Hemidactylium pacificum, [6]
hernandezi, Phrynosoma, [23]
Hyla curla, [23]
regilla, [3], [13], [23]
hyperythra beldingi, Verticaria, [3], [23], [25]
Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus, [18]
On the Occurrence of the Spotted Night Snake, Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus in Central California; and on the Shape of the Pupil in the Reptilian Genus Arizona, [65-6]

ignavus, Gerrhonotus scincicauda, [2], [3], [19], [21]
intermedius, Plethodon, [61]

labialis, Cnemidophorus, [3], [4], [24]
laterale, Bascanion, [26], [66]
laterale fuliginosum, Bascanion, [3], [4], [26]
lateralis fuliginosus, Zamenis, [26]
lucifer, Crotalus, [16], [18]
lugubris, Anaides, [5]
lugubris, Autodax, [4], [5]
lugubris farallonensis, Autodax, [2], [3], [4], [5]

martinensis, Uta, [2], [3], [4], [18]
mitchellii, Crotalus, [3], [26]
multicarinatus, Gerrhonotus, [14]
multiscutatus, Cnemidophorus, [3], [4], [24],
multiscutatus tessellatus, Cnemidophorus, [24]

nigra, Anniella, [42], [43], [44], [48], [49]
nigricauda, Uta, [3], [25]

occidentalis, Sceloporus, [9], [10], [12]
ochrorhynchus, Hypsiglena, [65-6]
oregonensis, Plethodon, [61], [62]
oregonus, Crotalus, [3], [16], [18]

pacificum, Hemidactylium, [6]
pacificus, Batrachoseps, [3], [4], [6], [7], [11]
palmeri, Gerrhonotus, [21]
Phrynosoma, cerroense, [3], [4], [23]
hernandezi, [23]
Pituophis, [66]
catenifer, [3], [21]
catenifer deserticola, [21]
Pityophis sayi bellona, [21]
Plethodon, [7]
intermedius, [61]
oregonensis, [61], [62]
vandykei, [61]
Description of a New Species of Plethodon, [61-3]
pulchra, Anniella, [41], [42], [43], [44], [45], [47], [48],

regilla, Hyla, [3], [13], [23]
Rhinechis, [66]
riversiana, Xantusia, [3], [4], [15], [16], [17]
rubidus, Cnemidophorus, [3], [25], [26]
rubidus, Cnemidophorus tessellatus, [26]

sayi bellona, Pityophis, [21]
Sceloporus becki, [2], [3], [4], [9]
biseriatus becki, [3], [9], [10], [11], [12], [14]
clarki clarki, [23]
occidentalis, [9], [10], [12]
undulatus, [9]
zosteromus, [3], [23], [25], [26]
scincicauda, Gerrhonotus, [3], [10], [12], [14], [19], [20], [21]
scincicauda ignavus, Gerrhonotus, [2], [3], [19], [21]
scincicaudus, Gerrhonotus, [14]
stansburiana, Uta, [3], [13], [14], [16], [17], [21], [23], [24]
stellata, Uta, [2], [3], [4], [21]

tessellatus rubidus, Cnemidophorus [26]
tessellatus multiscutatus, Cnemidophorus, [24]
texana, Anniella, [42], [43], [44], [45], [48]
tigris undulatus, Cnemidophorus, [66]

undulatus, Cnemidophorus tigris, [66]
undulatus, Sceloporus, [9]
Uta, [18], [27]
auriculata, [3], [4], [26]
clarionensis, [3], [4], [27]
martinensis, [2], [3], [4], [18]
nigricauda, [3], [25]
stansburiana, [3], [13], [14], [16], [17], [21], [23], [24]
stellata, [2], [3], [4], [21]

vandykei, Plethodon
Description of a New Species of the Genus Plethodon, [61-3]
ventralis, Callisaurus, [3], [25]
Verticaria beldingi, [23]
hyperythra beldingi, [3], [23], [25]

wislizenii, Crotaphytus, [25]

Xantusia riversiana, [3], [4], [15], [16], [17]

Zamenis lateralis fuliginosus, [26]
zosteromus, Sceloporus, [3], [23], [25], [26]

Transcriber's Notes:
1. Pages 20,25: The spelling of Reëxamination/reëxamination has been left with the dieresis.
2. Page 61: At the end of the page there is a date, March 12, 1906., which does not seem to pertain to anything. It has been left out of the text.
3. Footnotes have been moved to the end of the text.