408 



KANSAS UNIVERSITY SCIENCE BULLETIN. 



Scales smooth, in fifteen rows. Frontal subpentagonal, nar- 

 row behind. Parietals large, elongated. Internasals narrow. 

 Two large nasals, nostril between them. Rostral broad. Up- 

 per labials eight (occ. 7). Lower labials eight, fifth largest. 

 Temporals 1-1. Oculars 2-2. Gastrosteges 130-160. Urosteges, 

 35-60. 



Color above greenish drab to brown ; beneath bright red on 

 tail, fading to light orange on the throat. Nuchal collar light 

 orange. First three lower labials each with a small black spot. 

 About ten small black spots on the chin. Gastrosteges with a 

 small black spot near each end. 



Rare in Kansas. I have examined specimens from Scott, 

 Mitchell, McPherson and Wyandotte counties. 



LIOPELTIS Cope. 

 Chlorosoma Baird and Girard, Cat. N. Amer. Rept., Pt. I, Serp., p. 1853, 108. 

 Liopeltis Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1860, p. 559. 



Head distinct, scuta normal. Rostral plate not modified ; 

 one nasal. Teeth equal. Anal and caudal scuta divided. 

 Scales smooth, unifossate. Size small. 



Liopeltis vernalis De Kay. 



Grass or Green Snake. 



Coluber vernalis De Kay, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., V, 1827, p. 361. 

 Cyclophis vernalis Giinther, Cat. Colubr. Snakes Brit. Mus., 1855, p. 119, 

 Liopeltis vernalis Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1860, p. 560. 

 Contia vernalis Boulenger, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus., II, 1894, p. 258, 



Fig. 29. 

 Liopeltis vernalis De Kay. 



Scales smooth, in fifteen rows. First row broad and short. 

 Frontal long, narrow, tapering gradually to a point behind. 

 Occipitals long and regular in shape, anterior angle acute. 

 Parietals of medium size. Prefrontals much wider than long, 

 their long axes oblique to the long axis of the head. Rostral 

 wide, of moderate height. One long and narrow nasal, nare 

 at upper edge and anterior to the middle. Loreal nearly 



