()80 NOETH AMERICAN SNAKES COPE. 



a microscopic laminatiou of the surface. On direct and anteroposterior 

 views the color is peacock purple; on transverse views it passes from 

 brassy yellow through orassy green to maroon and brown. The colors 

 do not appear if the scales are wet. 



The bite of some of the larger species, as E. surinamensis and U. marc- 

 gravii, is said to be dangerous, but that of the smaller ones is innocu- 

 ous to man and the larger animals. 



Three species are found within the limits of the Nearctic realm, which 

 differ as follows : 



I. Tempor.'il scales 1-1 ; a black rinp; immediately behind head ; internasals much 



smaller than prefrontals. 

 Tail one-seventh to one-eighth total length ; black rings wide, covering from 



seven to ten scales ; red spaces above and below black spotted; three or 



four black rings on tail; muzzle and chin black E.fulvius. 



Tail one-seventh total length ; black rings narrow, covering two to three scales; 



red spaces above and below not black spotted ; tail with seven black rings ; 



nose and chin red A'. disfa)is. 



II. Temporal scales 1-2; internasals equal or nearly e(|nal prefrontals; a red ring 



immediately behind head. 

 Tail very short, one-fourteenth total length; black rings six or seven scales 

 wide, witli very wide yellow borders; interspaces above and below un- 

 spotted; tail with two black rings; nose and chin black. ./A euryxanthus. 



Elaps fulvius Linn. 



Cuv., Regn. Anim., Il, 1817; Fitz. N. Class. Rept., 1820, Gl ; Holbr., N. Amer. Herp., 

 II, 1838, 87, PI. XVIII, and 2il, in, 1842, 49, PL X ; Bd. and Gird., Cat. Serpt. 

 N. Amer., 1853, p. 21 ; Diim6ril and Bibron, Erp. Gen., vii, 1854, p. 1215; Giin- 

 ther. Cat. Colubr. Snakes Brit. Mus., 1S58, p. 235 ; Cope, Check List Batr. Rept. 

 N. Amer., 1875, p. 34; Jan, Icon. Gen. Otid., li., 421, Fig. 2. 



Coluber fulvius, Linn., Syst. Nat., i, 176G, 381 ; Gm., Linn., Syst, Nat., ed. xiii, i, in, 

 1788, 1104. 



Vipera fulvia llav]., J onvn. Acad. Nat, Soi. Phila., v, 1827, 364. 



Elapi^ iener Bd. and Gird., Cat. Serpt. N. Amer., 1853, p. 22; E, trisHs Bd. and Gird., 

 loc. cit., p. 23. 



Austroriparian region. 



Specimens from western Texas (Indianola, on the Gulf of Mexico, 

 and the Pecos River, in the north) dift'er somewhat from those from 

 farther east, and furnish the basis for the supposed species E. tener 

 Bd. and Gird. Generally the frontal plate is not wider than the super- 

 ciliary, but in one specimen it is as wide as in the typical form (]!^^o. 

 8574). The red spaces are more closely spotted and blotched with 

 black, the blotch on the belly being especially large. The yellow bor- 

 ders are also wider, covering two and one and a half rows of scales, while 

 those of the typical ^./jt/r/MS cover but one. A specimen from New 

 Orleans is intermediate in these points of coloration (No. 4804), and in 

 specimens from Pensacola (8783) and St. Johns River (8230), Florida, 

 the yellow borders are one and a half and even two scales wide. I do 

 not tind the Texas forms to represent a subspecies. 



The number of black rings on the body and tail varies within rather 

 narrow limits. I give the following account of them as they occur ou 



