56 THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 



and between two nasals. Loreal present. Body slender in juveniles to medium 

 stout in adults. Tail relatively short and terminated by a stout spine. 



Dorsal scale row formula variable; normal minimum in Ohio specimens, 

 17; normal maximum, 25 or 27, but 29 in one specimen from Licking County. 

 Most frequent combinations: 27-25-23-21-19, 25-27-25-23-21-19-17, 25-23-21- 

 19-17 and 23-25-23-21-19-17, but other arrangements occur. First six to eleven 

 rows of scales anteriorly, and first one to five rows posteriorly, smooth, the 

 others weakly keeled; in many juveniles the keels so faint as to appear lacking. 

 Upper labials 8, rarely 7; lower labials 11 or 12, rarely 13 or 14. One pre- 

 ocular; 2 and occasionally 3 postoculars. Temporals 2 in first row and 3 or 4 

 in second row. Ventrals in males 221 to 239, average 232.9; in females 228 

 to 244, average 237.6. Subcaudals in males 73 to 85, average 81; in females 

 69 to 81, average 73.8. Anal plate divided. 



General color above, nearly uniform black or brownish black. In many 

 specimens, however, a dorsal pattern of obsolete dark quadrate blotches may be 

 discerned, this being most apparent in brownish specimens and least so, if at 

 all, in black examples. In the lighter areas bordering the blotches the edges 

 of many scales may appear yellowish, whitish or reddish in color and may 

 encroach sufficiently upon the scales to bring out the pattern. Belly yellowish, 

 and blotched or mottled with four alternating rows of dark squarish spots 

 which become darker, denser and finally confluent posteriorly. Top of head 

 uniform blackish; throat, chin and lower labials white; upper labials similar 

 but often dusted with grey; sutures between labials dark. 



In juveniles there is a well defined pattern of brownish or seal brown 

 blotches on a grey ground. The dorsal blotches, 29 to 38 in number from 

 head to anus, are about 4 to 8 scales long by 11 to 14 scales wide. Alternat- 

 ing with the dorsal series is a lateral series of blotches below which in turn 

 is still another alternating series situated upon the first row or two of scales 

 and the edges of the ventrals. In several specimens there are dark lateral 

 extensions from the blotches in the neck region which collectively suggest a 

 narrow lateral stripe on either side of the neck. This condition occasionally 

 persists in the adults in which, despite the nearly uniform coloration, the 

 stripe may be seen if the specimen is held in the proper light. 



Belly yellowish with blotches better defined than in the adults; center of 

 under side of tail light, edged with darker. As specimens grow older they 

 acquire the uniform or nearly uniform dark appearance of the adult, but they 

 may retain traces of the dorsal and lateral blotches throughout life. Juveniles 

 greatly resemble the juveniles of Elaphe vulpina, even to the markings upon 

 the head; young of the two species may be best distinguished from each other 

 by the higher number of ventrals (221 to 244) in the pilot snake and the 

 lower number (197 to 215) in the fox snake. 



Specimens examined, 139; specimens preserved, 95; specimens studied, 51. 



Range. — Massachusetts to North Carolina and west to eastern Kansas. 



The pilot black snake occurs throughout Ohio. It is most common in the 



