Small, Miscellaneous Smooth-scaled Serpents 



Silvery gray; 60 to 70 dark brown blotches with blackish 

 borders interspaces mottled with red; abdomen 

 mottled with black. 



SHORT-TAILED SNAKE, 5. extenuatum. 

 Distribution. Florida. 

 \\Ventral plate divided. 



Body moderately slender; head fairly distinct; snout 

 blunt. A loreal plate. Length about 1 1 inches. 



Genus Rhadinea. 

 ^Scales in 17 rows. 

 Uniform reddish-brown; abdomen and lips yellow. 



YELLOW LIPPED SNAKE, R. ftavilata. 



Distribution. North Carolina to Mississippi. 

 **Scales in 1 3 to 15 rows. 



Form rather stout; head not very distinct; a loreal 

 plate. Length 10 to 12 inches. Genus Contia. 



a. Scales in 13 rows. 



Pale brown above; abdomen and upper lips white. 

 Tail about one-fifth total length. 



TAYLOR'S SNAKE, C. taylori. 

 Distribution. Duval Co., Texas. 



b. Scales in \ 5 rows. 



Uniform reddish yellow or gray scales tipped with light 

 brown. Tail about one-fourth total length. 



YELLOW GROUND SNAKE, C. CpisCOpa. 



Distribution. Texas; Northern Mexico. 

 Red or orange, with broad, black cross-bands; snout 

 red, remainder of head black. Abdomen white; tail 

 ringed with black. 

 BANDED GROUND SNAKE, C. episcopa variety iso^ona. 



Distribution. Texas to Utah; northern Mexico. 

 Milk-white, pink or yellow, with narrow black rings 

 not always complete about 5 scales apart; a black 

 crescent on head. 



RINGED GROUND SNAKE, C. OCClpHale. 



Distribution. Arizona. 



Dark brown; a pale stripe on 4th row of scales, bor- 

 dered below with black dots. A black bar on each 

 temple. Abdomen yellow; plates edged with black. 

 Tail about one-eighth total length. 



PACIFIC BROWN SNAKE, C. mitis. 



Distribution. Pacific States. 



Detailed Descriptions 



The Genus Hypsiglcna: Several species are recognised; 

 one occurs in the United Sl;iirs and northern Mexico; the others 

 inhabit Mexico and Central America. These are stubby little 



328 



