1856.] 243 



taken for the young of the Constrictor, which hardly differs more in color from 

 the adult than does Col. vernalis, but Col. vernalis is no doubt the adult age, 

 and appears to belong to a different genus, viz., Herpetodryas. 



Herpetodryas vernalis. 



Syn. Col. vernalis, Dekay Col. vernalis, Holbrook, N. Am. Herpet. vol. 

 3, p. 79. Chlorosoma vernalis, Baird and Girard, Cat. N. Am. Serp. p. 108. 



Two specimens. These do not differ from the other well known individuals. 

 This serpent has a wide range, being found in New York, Maine, Pennsylvania, 

 Wisconsin, Massachusetts, (Baird & Girard,) Connecticut, (Holh.) We have one 

 specimen from Rhode Island presented by Mr. S. Powell. Wagler gives as the 

 type of his genus Chlorosoma the Coluber viridissimus of Linnseus, (habitat 

 Surinam,) which is a serpent about three feet in length, the Col. vernalis a little 

 more than one. The two serpents belong to different families, the one being an 

 Isodontian, according to Dumeril and Bibron's arrangement, having the teeth 

 smooth, alike, equally spaced, and the head larger than the neck, and is inno- 

 cuous, the other belonging to the suborder of Opistoglyphes, having one or 

 more posterior teeth longer and channelled, and is venomous. (Fam. Dipsadiens.) 

 The Col. viridissimus of Linnaeus (Chlorosoma viridissimum, Wagler,) belongs 

 to the genus Dryophylax of Dumeril and Bibron, characterized as having the 

 " head conical, rather long, but little distinct from the trunk, in which the infe- 

 rior region is separated from the flanks by a more or less salient line which the 

 gastrostega form toward their extremities ; tail usually long, tapering and 

 rather slender; eyes of the ordinary size, pupil round, subcaudal; scutes bifid.' 

 (Tome vii. p. 1103.) Dumeril and Bibron state that they do not retain the 

 generic name of Chlorosoma of Wagler, he not having characterized it with 

 sufficient precision. In Dryophylax viridissimus the eye rests on the fourth and 

 fifth superior labials, (third and fourth in vernalis,) there is but one anterior 

 orbitar, (two in vernalis,) and there is no loral, the posterior frontals passing 

 down alongside of the head to join the superior labials. There is but one tem- 

 poral plate, (three in vernalis,) and there are eight superior labials, (seven in 

 vernalis ;) tail 9 inches 8 lines in viridissimus, 3 inches 4 lines in vernalis. 



Sub-Gen. ELAPHIS, Aldrovandi. 



Char. "Head usually but little distinct from the body, and for the most part 

 slightly conical, with a snout inclined a little downward ; trunk almost always 

 cylindrical; sides of the abdomen but little angular; scales of the trunk strongly 

 or feebly carinated." D. et B. 



Elaphis Alleghaniensis. 



Syn. Scotophis Alleghaniensis, B. & G. 



Two specimens. The coloration of these corresponds very well with the de- 

 scriptions of Coluber Alleghaniensis by Prof. Holbrook, of Scotophis Alleghani- 

 ensis, by Baird and Girard, except that the posterior part of the abdomen and 

 under part of tail is not uniformly slate black, being tinged to a certain extent 

 with yellow; the number of superior marginal labial plates in these specimens 

 is eight, the seventh the largest; the two inferior rows only appear to be smooth, 

 except upon the neck, (according to Holbrook four, and Baird and Girard seven ;) 

 near the occiput the scales are perfectly smooth. Total length 3 feet 8]- inches, 

 (Fr.;) of tail 5| inches ; of another 3 feet 6^- ; of tail 5J. Abdom. scut. 221 in 

 one; 1 bifid prseanal ; 66 subcaudal ; in the other, ab. scut. 227 ; subcaudal 176. 

 Circumference of first specimen at its middle 3 inches 7 lines ; of second 2 

 inches 4 lines. Subcaudal scutes larger in the larger specimen. 



The genus Elaphis appears to be very well characterized, and comprehends, 

 according to Dumeril and Bibron, thirteen species distributed in various parts 

 of the world Montevideo, (pleurostictus,) borders of the Caspian, Persia, S. 

 Europe, Japan, (virgatus,) N. America, islands south of Japan, (conspicillatus.) 

 It is one of the very few genera of serpents common to Europe and America. 



