230 REPTILES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



0. occipito-macidatus. Nobis. The spotted-neck Snake. 



This pretty species, which I suppose to be undescribed, was 

 received from Professor Adams, who found it at Amherst. It 

 was sent me in spirits, and therefore it is probable that its 

 colors had somewhat changed. Its length is ten inches and a 

 half ; length of the head, less than half an inch ; width across 

 the head two lines. Body elongated, covered with longitudinal 

 rows of pentagonal scales, connected, and at their posterior ex- 

 tremity, slightly fissured. All the upper portion of the body, 

 a light ash or gray color. An indistinct band of a lighter color 

 passes longitudinally down the back ; this is margined on each 

 side with a row of dark colored, almost black scales ; on each 

 side of the body, a row of larger scales than those upon the 

 back, unite the back with the abdominal plates ; these scales 

 are black, with a longitudinal delicate white line passing 

 through their centres. Abdomen yellowish white, with black 

 or fuliginous markings upon the outer edge of the plates, ap- 

 pearing upon the anterior plates like black dots. Circumfer- 

 ence of the neck less than the remainder of the body ; body 

 largest just anterior to the vent ; back of the vent it more rap- 

 idly approaches a point. The three anterior plates upon the 

 head, viz. that at the snout, and the two pairs immediately 

 posterior to this, yellow ; the other plates the color of the back, 

 variegated with white. Twelve plates upon the upper jaw, be- 

 sides that at the snout ; fourteen plates margin the lower jaw, be- 

 sides that at the chin. Three large white irregularly formed 

 blotches, directly back of the occipital plates ; one above, and 

 one on each side of the first. 



There are 124 abdominal plates, and 38 caudal scales. 



In as much as the " punctatus" sometimes exhibits merely a 

 spot upon the occiput, instead of a circular band, the superfi- 

 cial observer might think that, and the species I have just de- 

 scribed as identical ; a little attention will show the marked 

 differences between them. 



