NERODIA. 41 



Tropidonotus erythrogaster, Holbr. N. Amer. Herp. 2cl ed. Ill, 1842, 33. 

 PI. viii. 



Vipera ventre cuprei colons, Catesb. Nat. Hist. Carol. II, 1742, 46. Tab. slvi. 



The head is proportionally narrow and elongated, flattened above, 

 and convex on the snout. The vertical plate is elongated and sub- 

 pentagonal, broader anteriorly than posteriorly, witli the sides slightly 

 concave. The postorbital plates, proportionally small, are three in 

 number. Loral large and polygonal, higher than long. There are 

 three or four temporal shields very much developed. Dorsal rows 

 of scales 23 or 24 in number, strongly carinated, with the keels on 

 the posterior third of the body, constituting very conspicuous and 

 continuous ridges, the intermediate depressions or furrows giving to 

 the body and tail a canaliculated appearance. The lateral or outer 

 row, however, is but slightly carinated. The tail itself is subconical, 

 very much tapering, forming one-fourth of the entire length. 



The color, as taken from life, is said to be brick-red above, tinged 

 with green on the sides, and uniform copper-color beneath. 

 Frairie3IerEoiige,La.loA^l. 80.24:. 44. 11 J. Jas. Fairie. 



Carolina. 149+1. — 23. 50^. — j , ^^^^^'l 



(. Acad. Nat. Sc. 



4. IVerodia Ag-assizii, B. & G.— Dorsal rows of scales 23, carinated 

 except the outer row, wliich is entirely smooth. A second very small ante- 

 orbital ; postorbitals three. Color uniform reddish brown above, with obso- 

 lete transverse narrow light bands under the epidermis ; yellowish beneath. 



The vertical plate is proportionally more contracted on the sides 

 than in any of the species of this genus, and also more tapering. 

 The occipital plates are broad and proportionally large. The eyes 

 are rather small, resembling in that respect those of iV. taxispilota, 

 the latter diflfering however greatly from it in being provided with 

 five more rows of dorsal scales ; the scales of the outer dorsal row 

 are proportionally large and perfectly smooth, while these are keeled 

 in the other species. The number of subcaudal scutellae could not 

 be ascertained, as the only specimen at our command is destitute of 

 a tail. The two last abdominal scutellaj are bifid. 



The color, though uniform in the adult, in the immature state is 

 blotched, as in other species of this genus; judging from the trans- 



