1856.] 245 



who examined the originals of Say, states that they are the same, differing only 

 in the greater number of plates in calligaster ; but it is quite possible that he 

 may not have counted the rows of scales. In all of the Kansas specimens, the 

 coloration of the head and neck is different from that usually observed in exi- 

 mius, and in two of them entirely so, there being in each two dark brown longi- 

 tudinal blotches upon the temples, and on the neck, one on each side, and another 

 about half the length of these between them, the triangular spots described by 

 Lacepede, being altogether absent. Ground color of head above brown, with no 

 white stripes or bands, but a band of dark browu extending across the posterior 

 margin of the pre-frontal plates. The ground color of the body and tail 

 above is brown, the transverse spots or blotches much darker, each with a 

 slight margin of a lighter brown than the ground color; the blotches are more 

 narrow than in eximius, occupying from two to three rows of scales only in 

 length, and from eight to ten in breadth ; 45 in one, (the 45th opposite the anus,) 

 upon the body; 18 upon the tail; 47 in another; and 18 upon the tail, and in a 

 third 49; the 49th opposite the anus, and 14 upon the tail; blotches upon tail 

 quite narrow, minutely black spotted and maculated, as well as interspaces and 

 sides; color of abdomen as in eximius. Notwithstanding the great resem- 

 blance in the number of abdominal and subcaudal plates, and general appear- 

 ance, we are inclined to consider the above specimens as belonging to a variety 

 distinct from eximius, being, in fact, the calligaster of Say. We have recently 

 received from Kimball's Museum, Boston, (whither the originals of Say had been 

 transferred,) through Dr. Holbrook, one of the originals of Say's calligaster ; the 

 tail is broken off with a small portion of the body, but it corresponds with Dr. 

 Harlan's description, and Prof. Holbrook's notice of it, the scales, of which there 

 are twenty-five rows, being perfectly smooth. We therefore have a confirmation 

 of the statement of Prof. Holbrook, of the specific identity of eximius and cal- 

 ligaster, and of the opinion of Dumeril and Bibron, who place it, as well as 

 clericus, among the synonyms of Ablabes triangulum, and I am happy to agree 

 with those learned and very eminent Herpetologists. 



The following may be given as the characters of Albabes triangulum, var. 

 calligaster. 



Char. Head rather long ; seven superior labials ; body of moderate thickness, 

 with from 25 to 27 rows of smooth scales ; tail about l-6th of the total length ; 

 color brown above, with from 45 to 49 rows of black transverse narrow blotches 

 upon back and 14 to 18 upon tail; two lateral rows of smaller blotches upon 

 sides ; under part of body beautifully tesselated with black and white ; abdom. 

 scut. 198, 210, subcaudar41, 65 ; length 2 feet 6|, 2 feet8i and 3 feet 10 inches, 

 (Fr.) 



OeograpMcal Distribution. Kansas, Missouri. 



Oen. Remarks. Dumeril and Bibron state that the name triangulum has pre- 

 cedence over that of eximius of Dekay, having been applied to the same species 

 by Count Lacepede, in his Hist, des Serpens, published in 1789, Tome, 2, p.*331. 

 The description of Lacepede is very precise, but it appears to us that it applies, 

 not to the eximius as usually described, but rather to the clericus of Baird and 

 Girard. The description of Lacepede is as follows: "Nous nommons ainsi 

 (triangle,) cette espece de couleuvre parce qu'on voit sur le sommet de la tete, qui 

 est garni de neuf grandes ecailles une tache triangulaire charge dans le milieu 

 d'une antre tache triangulaire plus petite et d'une couleur beaucoup plus claire 

 ou quelquefois plus foncee ; des ecailles unies et en lozange couv'rentle, dessus du 

 corps, qui est blanchatre avec des taches rousses irregulieres et bordees de noir; on, 

 voit un rang de petites taches de chaque cote du dos et une tache noire allongee, 

 et placee obliquement derriere chaque ceil." The length of Count Lacepedes 

 specimen was 2 feet 7 inches 2 lines, tail 3 inches. Abdom. sc. 213, subcaud. 

 48 pair. There can be no doubt therefore of the priority of Lacepede's 

 description which is very accurate, but inasmuch as but one row of lateral spots 

 is mentioned, there is some doubt whether it applies to eximius or to the ser- 

 pent described by Baird and Girard, having only o?ze row of lateral spots, 

 (Ophibolus clericus.) We have a number of specimens with but a single row of 



