152 APPENDIX B. 



by a plate, which has the shape of a prominent nose, on each side of 

 which are the nasals. Our specimen has two pairs of postfrontals 

 disposed on a single transverse row. 



"The bones which constitute the skull are stouter than in the 

 other species of Coluber. The tympanum is longer, and the nasals 

 elongated. The intermaxillary is very depressed. The teeth are all 

 of the same length." — Schlegel. 



The specimen described was brought from the Rocky Mountains 

 by Mr. Say, and presented to M. Schlegel by Charles L. Bonaparte. 

 Missouri. 221. 55. 25. — about 4 feet. 



The species here referred to belongs undoubtedly to the genus 

 Pituophis. The general system of coloration, the peculiar shape and 

 structure of the snout, and the presence of two pairs of postfrontal 

 plates, are characters which this genus alone possesses in the manner 

 just described. 



As to Say's variety of Coluber melanoleucus, as given by Harlan, 

 it is introduced into the synonymy with some doubt. 



4. Coluber vertebrali§, Blainv. — "Reddish yellow or pale red, 

 marbled -with deep brown, forming a dorsal united series in the shape of a 

 succession of sections of fish vertebrae, becoming isolated and more apart 

 towards the posterior region." 



Stn. Coluber vertebralis, Blainv. Nouv. Ann. Mus. d'Hist. Nat. Ill, 1834, 

 61. PI. xxvii. figs. 2, 2 a, and 2 b. 



"Body elongated and slender anteriorly; head small and com- 

 paratively distinct ; snout pointed; tail short, conical, and pointed. 

 Nostrils lateral, small, circulai-, between the two nasal plates. Eyes 

 large, lateral, almost entirely surrounded with the orbital plates. 

 Cephalic plates: two prefrontals and two postfrontals; two lorals 

 superposed. Two anteorbitals and three postorbitals. Abdominal 

 scutellse 245; subcaudal 64. Scales rather small, lozenge-shaped, 

 smooth, imbricated." 

 California. M. Botta. 



This species is not without a certain resemblance to Pituophis. 

 The chained dorsal blotches, the acute head, prominent snout, and 

 presence of two lorals, the upper one resembling in shape and posi- 



