BRANSON : SNAKES OF KANSAS. 



373 



CYCLOPHIS GUNTHER. 



Cyclophis Giinther, Cat. Colubr. Snakes Brit. Mus., 1858, p. 119. 



Head distinct, scuta normal. One nasal plate, one preocu- 

 lar. Teeth equal, smooth. Anal and caudal scuta divided. 

 Scales keeled, bifossate. 



Cyclophis aestivus Lincteus. 



Keeled Green Snake. 

 Coluber cesHvus Linnteus, Syst. Nat., I, 1766, p. 387. 

 Cyclophis cestivus Giinther, Cat. Colubr. Snakes Brit. Mus., 1858, p. 11. 



Fig. 8. 

 Cyclophis sestivus Linn. 



Head elongate ovoid. Neck contracted. Frontal plate elon- 

 gated, subpentagonal, diminishing posteriorly, though not 

 acute. Parietals elongated, tapering posteriorly, and sub- 

 truncated. Prefrontals subrounded ; internasals smaller than 

 prefrontals by about one-fourth. Rostral rounded, broader 

 than high. Nostril in the middle of the nasal. Loreal sub- 

 trapezoidal. Superciliary well developed, irregularly oblong. 

 A large, narrow first temporal shield and two large ones fol- 

 lowing. Upper labials seven, sixth slightly the largest. 

 Lower labials eight, fifth the largest. Posterior mental 

 scutellse slender and elongated, extending beyond the fifth 

 lower labial. Scales subelliptically elongated, strongly cari- 

 nated, except the outer row, which is perfectly smooth, and the 

 second row, which is but slightly carinated. These two outer 

 rows are broader than the rest, especially the outermost. 

 Temporals 1-2. Scales in seventeen rows. Gastrosteges 

 150-165. Urosteges 110-140. 



Green above ; labials and below light yellow. Tail two and 

 one-half times in total length. 



Two specimens from Kansas are in the National Museum, 

 one from Woodson county and one from Riley. I have not 

 seen a specimen from Kansas. If it still occurs in the state 

 it is very rare. The preceding description is taken from Cope's 

 " CrocodilianSj Lizards, and^Snakes." 



