SYNOPSES AND DESCRIPTIONS. 47 



Land of reddish-brown extends along each side of the abdomen, separated 

 from the first brown line by a space of yellow. Belly and throat yellow, 

 spotted with brown anteriorly. Orbitals and crown-shields with yellow 

 margins or spots. Wyoming to Texas, California and Mexico. 



Spilotes. 



Wagler, 1830. 



Body long, compressed; head distinct from the neck, muzzle rounded; 

 tail moderate. Eye large, pupil round. Teeth equal, smooth. A loreal. 

 Anteorbital one, rarely two. Postoculars two to three. Scales keeled 

 or smooth, in 15 — 23 rows. Anal entire. Subcaudals in two rows or 

 simple. 



(Georgia.) 



Scales smooth, in 17 rows; subcaudals generally simple; 



black; labials seven; ventrals 184 — 190 couperi. 



black, with reddish-white spots ; labials eight obsoletus. 



(Spilotes.) 



Scales smooth, in 17 rows, rarely 15; subcaudals usually in two rows; 



brown ; lighter anteriorly, with faint indications of transverse zigzag 

 bands of dark; ventrals about 205 com is. 



Scales faintly keeled, in 15 (15 to 17) rows; 



yellowish, marked with chevron bands of brown; darker posteriorly; 

 ventrals about 220 variabilis. 



16 rows of scales ; 



posterior two thirds of body black melanurus. 



18 or 19 rows of scales ; 



hinder third of body with chevron bands of yellow 



auribundus. 

 21 to 23 rows of scales; 



uniform brown above, a few vertebral scales yellow with 

 black tip poecilonotus, 



