NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 99 



superciliaries, larger loral, narrower intervals between the dorsal blotches, 

 which are themselves less rounded, narrower light temporal stripe, etc. From 

 S. gitttatus, it may be readily distinguished by the color, transverse dorsal 

 blotches, etc. ; and from the other species of the genus it differs in much the 

 same points with S. Emoryi. There can be no hesitation in referring this spe- 

 cies to the Coluber calligaster of Say. The very faint carinations of the central 

 dorsal scales might easily be overlooked. Like S. Emoryi, it bears a strong 

 general resemblance to Ophibolus eximius, to which species Say's description has 

 been referred by Dr. Holbrook, and others ; but from this and 0. Evansii, it may 

 at once be distinguished by the large eye, elongated head, divided postabdo- 

 minal scutella, carinated scales, and other generic characters. 

 Hyatt, Anderson Co., Kansas, Mr. Samuel Amy. 



Ophibolus Evansii Kennicott. 

 Ophibolus Evansii Kennicott, Rep. of Mex. Boundary Survey. 



Sp. ch. Light olivaceous brown or gray, with a dorsal series of about sixty 

 subquadrangular emarginate dark chestnut brown blotches from head to tip of 

 tail, and two smaller lateral series on each side. Dorsal scales in twenty-five 

 rows. 



This is most nearly allied to 0. eximius, but differs strikingly in the number 

 of dorsal rows of scales, twenty-five instead of twenty-one ; also in having a 

 more elongated, narrow and elevated head, narrower snout, anterior and pos- 

 terior emarginations in the dorsal blotches, etc. 



Prairies of Central Illinois, S. H. Roots, C. Mills, S. W. Arnold. 



The species is dedicated to Prof. J. Evans, to whose interest in the investi- 

 gation of the zoology of the north west, the N. W. University is principally in- 

 debted for the large collections of animals made under its auspices. 



Diadophis Arnyi Kennicott. 



Sp. ch. Form slender, though less so than in D. docilis. Body above uni- 

 form leaden black, the crown scarcely darker ; abdomen yellow, thickly and 

 irregularly spotted with black, the spots more numerous than in D. docilis, and 

 extending to some distance behind the anus ; head beneath thickly mottled 

 with black spots of much smaller size than those on the abdomen. A narrow 

 light yellow occipital ring, one to one and a half scales wide. Dorsal scales 

 in seventeen rows. 



Resembles D. docilis, from which it will be distinguished by the color, shorter 

 body, narrower head, spots under the tail, and narrower occipital ring; from 

 D. rcgalis by its occipital ring, and from the other species by the number of 

 dorsal rows. 



Hyatt, Anderson Co., Kansas. Samuel Amy. 



Virginia elegans Kennicott. 



Sp. ch. Resembles V. valerice; vertical and occipital plates narrower. Dorsal 

 scales very narrow and elongated, much more so than in V. valerice, disposed 

 in IT rows. Color uniform light olivaceous brown above ; dull yellowish-white 

 beneath. 



Readily distinguished from the nearly allied V. valerice by the narrower dor- 

 sal scales in 17 rows instead of 15 as in that species. 



Heavily timbered regions of southern Illinois. Dr. Hugh McVean, J. "W. 

 Waugh. 



Celuta vebmis Kennicott. 



Sp. ch. Larger than 0. amcena and C. Helence. Two pairs of frontal plates. 

 Color above lustrous purplish black, much darker than in C. amcena. Abdomen 

 pale yellowish flesh color, (probably brighter in life); this color extending to 

 the third lateral row of dorsal scales. 



Though possessing the general form of C. amcena, this differs strikingly in the 



1859.] 



