PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 439 



divided; but this last trait Las been noticed in other species of the 

 genus. In the specimen described, on the second and third row of 

 scales are a few sparsely scattered wlnte spots resembling those of 

 0. sayi, but there is no approach to regularity, nor is there any indica- 

 tion of a pattern. No. 12149, ad., Wheatland, Ind.; 7 upper labials on 

 both sides, 9 lower on one, 10 on the other; 12 rows of scales, 1 ante- 

 orbital, 2 postorbitals; length 4 feet inches. 



A younger specimen 3 feet 4 iuclies long is similar in appearance to 

 the older one, but there seems to be a tendency to a greater display of 

 the white spots on the sides. Color of the back lustrous black; belly 

 dull black, with milk-white maculatious. Isolated and minutely punctu- 

 lated spots on the back show a decided approach to a pattern of color- 

 ation as in 0. getulus. In two specimens of 0. getuhis, Nos. 9109 and 

 8797, from Marietta, Ga., and Augusta, Ga., the cross-markings of white 

 spots are almost obsolete, like those of the young specimens of 0. getulus 

 niger; but on the sides the white blotches are large and strongly defined, 

 which is not the case in 0. getulus niger. The heads, too, are yellow 

 spotted. Mr. E. Ridgway and Mr. L. Turner inform me that the sub- 

 species described is quite common in both Indiana and Illinois, and 

 that it has doubtless replaced the normal 0. getulus, which in those 

 States has not been collected by either of these gentlemen. 



Ophibolus getulus .eiseni, subsp. nov. 



A number of specimens of Ophiholns getulus hoyli have been found in 

 a collection of reptiles made by Mr. Gustav Eisen, at Fresno, Cal., and 

 among them are three specimens diflering so materially from the type 

 that it is proposed to name them provisionally for their discoverer. 



DescPwIPTIon. — Plates of the liead similar to those of 0. getulus hoyli: 

 1 anteorbital, 3 postorbitals, 7 upper labials, 10 lower labials ; 23 rows 

 of scales on body ; difterence, so far as the head is concerned, being an 

 increase in number of postorbitals and lower labials. 



Color markedly different from the type of 0. getulus hoyli. The first 

 white annulus, three scales wide, commences 11 scales posteriorly to the 

 occipitals; there is then an interval of 5 scales to second white annulus, 

 another interval of 5 scales to the third white annulus, which instead of 

 passing down towards the abdomen, expands at the base, and joins an 

 oval ring 8 scales wide transversely to the body, and 8 scales long pos- 

 teriorly. Eight scales behind this ring a white line IJ scales wide com- 

 mences, which extends the length of body to opposite the 207th ab- 

 dominal scale, or about the 30th from the anus. This line is absolutely 

 continuous, but breaks oft" into annuli at the place mentioned. There 

 are then a triangular white blotch, 3 annuli, another blotch, and the 

 dorsal line commences again and ends at tip of tail. At a distance of 

 4 scales below this dorsal line, on both sides, are indications of lines, 

 and near the borders of the mentioned scales are broken and obsolete 

 whitish blotches. 



