98 MASTICOPHIS. 



-^ V 



Genus MASTICOPHIS, Baird & Girard. 



Gen. Char. Similar in general features to Bascanwn, but still 

 more slender and elongated. Tail very long. The head is almost 

 as deep as broad, and the vertical plate very narrow and long. The 

 most striking feature of diflFerence is seen in the prolongation upwards 

 of the 5th posterior labial instead of the 4th, to meet the lower post- 

 orbital. Superciliaries very broad and projecting, more so in pro- 

 portion to the vertical than in Bascanion. Rostral quite small. 

 Eyes very large. Postorbitals 2 ; lower resting on the upward ex- 

 tension of the 5th labial, not touched by the 6th. Anteorbitals 2 ; 

 upper very large, lower very small, in a notch between the 3d and 

 4th labials. One loral and two nasals, with the nostril intermediate. 

 Scales all very smooth. Dorsal rows 17 or 15. Abdominal scutellae 

 200-210; posterior divided. Subcaudal 95-150, all divided. Ab- 

 domen blotched, seldom unicolor. Marking anteriorly and poste- 

 riorly apt to be different. The true type of this genus is to be seen 

 in M. ornatus, B. & G. 



A. Dorsal rows 17. Tail \ length of body. 



1. Masticophis flagelliformis, B. & G. — Color black anteriorly, 

 lighter posteriorly. Scales, when lighter, with darker margins. 



Stn. Anguis fiagelliformis, Catesb. Nat. Hist. Carol. II, 1743: 54. Tab. liv. 

 Coluber fiagellum, Shaw. Gen. Zol. Ill, 1802. 475. 

 Coluber flagelliformis, Holbr. N. Amer. Herp. I, 1836, 107. PL xix. 

 Psammophis flagelliformis, Holbk. N. Amer. Herp. 2d ed. lit, 1842, 11. 

 PI. ii. 



Coach-whip Snake, Bartr. Trav. in Carol., Georgia, and Florida, 1791, 219. 



Vertical plate wide in front, rapidly tapering, until at the anterior 

 third it is less than half as wide as in front, thence the sides are 

 parallel, acutely pointed behind. Superciliaries very broad, pro- 

 jecting. Occipitals as long as the vertical. Postfrontals large, 

 anterior smaller. Eye large, its centre considerably in advance of 



