nd Robertson,
Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull., 34 (1):213, October 1, 1951.

Apatzingan; El Sabino; La Playa; Los Reyes.

All specimens from Michoacan are from inland localities between 300 and
1500 meters. The one from Los Reyes (USNM 46416) was collected by Nelson
and Goldman on February 13, 1903. The elevation of Los Reyes (1500
meters) seems unusually high for this species, but otherwise there is no
reason to doubt the authenticity of the record. Goldman (1951:192) in
his description of Los Reyes stated: "Los Reyes is near the boundary
between the Lower Austral and Arid Upper Tropical Zones but is
preponderantly tropical in zonal character. The regular crops are mainly
sugar cane, rice, and corn." Thus the biotic features of the area are
not noticeably different from those at El Sabino and La Playa at lower
elevations. The development of extensive agriculture through irrigation
in the Tepalcatepec Valley and planting of rice and sugar-cane in that
area may produce a more widespread habitat for this snake.

The absence of specimens from the coastal lowlands is due solely to
inadequate collecting; the natives there know the snake and report that
it is not uncommon in certain areas.

~Crotalus basiliscus basiliscus~ (Cope)

_Caudisonia basilisca_ Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci.
Philadelphia, September 30, 1864.--Colima. Type locality
restricted to Colima, Colima, Mexico, by Smith and Taylor
(1950a:328).

_Crotalus basiliscus basiliscus_, Gloyd, Nat. Hist. Misc.,
17:1, April 23, 1948.

Apatzingan (4); Camachines; Coalcoman; El Ticuiz.

Specimens from southern Michoacan have fewer ventrals and caudals than
do those from the northern part of the range; three males and three
females have, respectively, 178, 182, 182, 185, 186, and 188 ventrals,
and 27, 28, 29, 22, 29, and 29 caudals. Klauber (1952:81) gave the
following data for _Crotalus basiliscus_ (based on specimens from the
entire range, except Oaxaca): ventrals in males, 179-201 (191.4), in
females, 185-206 (197.6); caudals in males, 26-36 (30.7), in females,
21-29 (24.4). Klauber (1952:84) remarked that the one specimen that he
had seen from Apatzingan had fewer ventrals and caudals than most other
specimens. The low numbers of ventrals and caudals in specimens from
Michoacan, as compared with more northern populations, may be indicative
of a trend in the reduction of the numbers of these scutes from north to
south. The s