256 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



126. L. triangiilawo&is. Le Triangle, Lacep. Hist. Serp. ii. 331, 1789, 

 Coluber triangulum Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 537. Col. eximius Dekay, New York 

 Fauna, pi. 12, fig. 25, 1842. Harlan, Storer, Holbrook, Giinther. Pseudoelaps Y. 

 Berthold. 1843. Ophibolus eximius Baird et Girard, Catalogue, p. 87, 1852. 

 Ablabes triangulum Dum. Bibr. Erp. Gen. vii. 315, 1853. Do. vars. clericus et 

 eximius Hallowell, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 1856, 245-6. 



The dentition of this species is not different from that characteristic of the 

 genus. The posterior upper maxillary teeth are longer and stronger than the 

 anterior, though not so much so as in L. Sayi. They are thickly set, so 

 compressed as to give them a great antero-posterior diameter, and have a 

 rather abrupt posterior curvature. This species cannot be arranged in the 

 same genus as Lycodonomorphus rufulus Fitz. (type of Ablabes Dum. & 

 Bibr. ) which, according- to Schlegel and Smith, has the anterior maxillary teeth 

 a little longer than the posterior. The tail is one fourth or fifth of the total 

 length, while in all the species of Lampropeltis before us, that member is very 

 short, being never more than one seventh or one eighth of the total length. The 

 arrangement of this species with the Coluber guttatusis simply the result 

 of a mistaking of analogy for affinity. 



We have seen no second specimen which corresponds with the type of Profs. 

 Baird and Girard' s Ophibolus c 1 e r i c u s in the form of the head and position 

 and size of the eye. The specimen alluded to by Dr. Hallowell, 1. c, from New 

 Jersey, approximates remotely in these respects, though resembling it much 

 in the number and size of the dorsal spots. We incline to think that no cha- 

 racters of specific value can be deduced from these ; there are specimens inter- 

 mediate, as respects their size and number, between the highest in eximius 

 to the lowest in clericus, as defined in Baird and Girard's catalogue. And 

 there are indifferently one or two rows of spots on the sides. What the true 

 clericus is, more specimens alone can show. 



A. Spots as in " eximi us." 



1 



Berks Co., Penna. 



? 



"S. Carolina." 



B. Spots as in " clericus." 



Near Trenton, N. J. 

 Near Haddonfield, N. J. 

 New Jersey. 

 Near Philadelphia. 

 S. Carolina. 



? 



? 



? 



One spec. 



(( <t 



Two " 

 One " 



One spec. 

 One " 

 One " 

 Three spec. 

 One 



Three " 

 One " 

 Two " 



127. L. doliata nobis. Coluber cloliatus Linn. Coronella doliata Holbr 

 N. Am. Herp. iii. 105, 1842, pi. 24. Do. var. 

 42. Ophibolus gentilis Bd. et Girard, Catal. p. 

 229 pi. 8. 



In the true Coronella doliata of the Eastern States the black rings form- 

 ing each pair, separate on the flanks, and become more or less confluent with 

 the adjacent ring of the next pair. The belly is also irregularly varied with 

 black. These peculiarities are well represented in Holbrook's figure. The 

 only constant difference observable between eastern specimens and those from 

 Kansas, which agree closely* with the descriptions and figure of Oph. g e n- 



Dr. Bache. 



? 



? 

 "Mr. Jas. Reade." 



Mr. C. C. Abbott. 

 Dr. G. Watson. 

 Mr. S. Ashmead. 

 Dr. E. Hallowell. 



1 



Dr. Wilson. 

 Dr. Blanding. 



B, Giinther, Cat. Brit. Mus. p. 

 77. Marcy, Expl. Red Riv. p. 



* Dr. Hallowell (Proc. Acad. 1856, p. 248) speaks of the difference between these speci- 

 mens and Baird & Girard's descriptions as considerable ; to us lhey appear very slight. 



une, 



[J 



