STORERIA. 137 



2. Storeria occipilo-maculata, B. & G.— Orbitals 1, two an- 

 terior, two posterior. Dorsal scales in 15 rows. Above gray, or chestnut- 

 brown, sometimes with a paler vertebral line ; beneath red or salmon-color. 

 Three distinct light colored spots behind the head, and a smaller one on 

 the 4th or 5th upper labial. 



Stn. Tropidonotus occipito-maculaiiis. Stoker, Rep. Rept. Mass. 1839, 230. 

 Coluber venusius, Hallow. Proc. Acad. Nat. So. Philad. Ill, 1847, 274; 

 and vol. IV, 1849, 245. 



Nostril almost entirely in the prenasal plate, in some cases the 

 postnasal not entering at all into it. Five to six upper labials, 

 increasing in length posteriorly, lower labials 6 to 7, similarly con- 

 stituted. Vertical plate hexagonal, shield-shaped. Muzzle rather 

 broad, eyes larger than in >S^. Dehayi. 



Color above light chestnut-brown, sometimes chestnut-gray, at 

 others olivaceous : a paler vertebral line from occiput to end of tail, 

 about three scales in width ; on each side of this may be seen a 

 series of minute brown spots, produced by the brown bases of the scales 

 in the 3d row on each side from the central series. Sometimes the 

 brown covers the whole scale, and gives rise to two dorsal lines; at 

 others it is almost entirely wanting, and this, connected as it gene- 

 rally is with a less ditstinct vertebral band, gives the impression of a 

 uniform tint above. Upper margin of the exterior dorsal lines 

 brighter yellowish, giving the effect in some cases of a lateral narrow 

 light line. Abdomen in life salmon-color, in alcohol whitish yellow, 

 with the sides finely mottled with dark-brown, sometimes obsoletely, 

 at others constituting very distinct bands. These generally do not 

 encroach upon the dorsal scales. Occasionally, however, the middle 

 of the exterior row of scales exhibits a dark stripe. Immediately 

 behind the occipital plates, and on the median line, is seen a 

 dull salmon-colored blotch, on each side of which, over the angle of 

 the jaws, is a similar smaller one. The intervals between these 

 blotches sometimes darker. A small salmon-colored spot on the 4th 

 or 5th upper labial, behind the orbit. Plates on the top of the head 

 blotched with darker. Lower jaw minutely dotted with brown. 



Description of a living specimen caught at Westport, N. Y., Au- 

 gust, 1847. — "Iris dark chestnut, rather lighter above and ex- 

 ternally. General color above dull chestnut-brown. Attentively 

 examined, however, when wet, there is seen a faint dorsal stripe of 



