PITUOPHIS. 67 



orly as loug. Superciliarics longer than either the vertical or oc- 

 cipitals. Vertical subpentagonal very broad anteriorly, as broad as 

 long, and very much tapering posteriorly ; its sides concave. The 

 second small subcordiform anterior vertical is situated between the 

 external postfrontals, which are comparatively the larger. Internal 

 postfrontals irregularly triangular, and smaller than the prefrontals, 

 which are irregularly quadrangular. The rostral is proportionally 

 narrow, and raised above the surface of the snout, not reaching, how- 

 ever, the internal postfrontals. Nasals subquadrangular, anterior one 

 a little larger; nostrils situated between the two plates, but more in 

 the posterior one. Loral very small, narrow, and elongated, hori- 

 zontal in position. Two anteorbitals, inferior one very small ; upper 

 one very regular, slightly convex on its anterior margin. Postorbitals 

 four in number, occasionally only three, the two upper ones a little 

 the larger. Numerous small temporal shields. Upper labials 8, 6th 

 and 7th somewhat larger. Lower labials 13, 7th largest; the six 

 posterior ones the smallest. Dorsal scales elliptically elongated, con- 

 stituting 31-35 rows, the seven outer of which are smooth, the others 

 carinated, the five outermost very sensibly the larger. 



The ground-color is whitish yellow : on the anterior third and 

 upper part of the body, the bases, and sometimes the two anterior 

 thirds of the scales $re jet black, so as to make the ground-color 

 appear black. There are 61 large chocolate-brown dorsal blotches, 

 margined with jet black from the head to opposite the anus, and 

 10 on the tail. On the anterior portion of the body these blotches 

 are subcircular, or rather elliptical, covering in width seven or eight 

 rows of scales, and four and two half-scales in length ; the spaces 

 between embrace about two scales. Posteriorly the blotches be- 

 come quadrate, and the intermediate spaces increase so as to be at 

 first equal to the blotches, and towards the origin of the tail they are 

 actually wider by one scale than the blotches themselves. On the 

 tail the blotches assume the shape of narrow transverse bars, taper- 

 ing downwards. On each side of the dorsal blotches is a series of 

 much smaller and somewhat irregular blotches, margined with black, 

 the blotches being opposite to the light spaces, alternating, but not con- 

 fiuent with the medial blotches. On the anterior third of the body a 

 series of small blotches is observed on the flanks, and beneath it, a 

 series of elongated black patches, all of which exhibit a tendency to 

 become obsolete vertical bars, more apparent posteriorly in very large 

 individuals, giving to the flanks a nebulous appearance. The head 



