34 TROPIDONOTUS ERYTHROGASTER. 



posterior part. The tail is long, compressed, triangular, and terminates in a 

 point; covered with carinated scales above, and bifid plates below. 



Colour. The whole superior surface of the animal, body, head, neck, and tail, 

 is brownish-red, or brick-dust colour; the sides are tinged with green near the 

 abdomen; the whole inferior surface is uniform copper colour. 



Dimensions. Length of head, 1^ inches; greatest breadth of head, 11 lines; 

 length of body, 32 inches; length of tail, 1 1 inches. The specimen described had 

 147 abdominal plates, and 60 pair of sub-caudal bifid plates. 



Habits. The habits of the Tropidonotus erythrogaster seem closely allied to 

 those of the Tropidonotus fasciatus; they are found in similar localities, and live 

 on similar food, though the former is less numerous than the latter. 



Geographical Distribution. I have never hitherto heard of the existence of 

 this snake northward of South Carolina; its range extends through that state, 

 Georgia, Alabama, and along the northern shores of the Gulf of Mexico. 

 Professor Green, of Philadelphia, has in his possession a specimen taken as far 

 west as Amity county, Louisiana. 



General Remarks. This animal was first described by Catesby, under the 

 name of Copperbellied Snake, who gave also a pretty good drawing of it; and 

 Foster, in his catalogue appended to Catesby, called it Coluber erythrogaster; 

 since which work it has been overlooked by some naturalists, and by others 

 referred to the Coluber porcatus of Bosc. 



