672 



NORTH AMEKICAN SNAKES COPE. 



There is considerable doubt whether tbis subspecies enters the Aus- 

 troriparian fauna. If so, it appears sparingly, and only on the northern 

 borders. Specimen ^N^o. 9008, from Montgomery, Alabama, might be 

 almost as well placed with the N. f. transversa, as the belly is unspot- 

 ted, but the anterior half of the body is cross-banded, as in the iV. /. 



fasciata. 



Natrix fasciata pleuralis Cope. 



Scutellation as in the species generally; scales in twenty-three rows, 

 the inferior more weakly keeled and of larger size than the others. lu- 

 ternasals longer than wide; oculars 1-3; middle of orbit above suture 

 between fourth and fifth superior labials. 



The color characters are quite peculiar. On the anterior part of the 

 body brown bands cross the ground color reaching to the gastrosteges, 

 the lateral parts having parallel sides, and being sei)arated by spaces 

 wider than themselves. The dorsal parts of these cross-bands gradu- 

 ally disappear, aud posterior to the middle or last third of the length 

 are wanting, so that the coloration consists of lateral erect parallelo- 

 grammic spots separated by spaces of a yellow or gray ground color 

 equal to or a little wider than themselves. Belly yellow, with brown 

 rounded spots on the anterior parts of the gastrosteges ; spots few on 

 the anterior third in the type. Head brown without nuirkings; labials 

 lighter. 



1092; 131+1 + 30?; 23; 517"""., 120? (? injured). 



8786; 144+1 + 73; 23. 



8786; 136+1+2; 23; 1087 to anus; tail injured. 



This form is Austroriparian, but seems to bo rare, as but three speci- 

 mens have come under my observation. They approach the forms of 

 N.f. sipedon with lateral spots well separated. 



The large specimen in No. 8766 referred to this subspecies is so dark 

 colored that the pattern is only made out when immersed in fluid. 

 The belly also is marked by a narrow transverse blotches on the exter- 

 nal parts of the gastrosteges, which afterwards blend and involve the 

 whole surface. 



Xatr'u fasciata 2>h'i(ralis Cop(>. 



Cata- 



losiue 



No. 



1092 

 8786 



No. of 

 speci 



Locality. 



From wbom received. 



^Mississippi (?) 



Augusta, Ga I Wm. Phillips. 



Nature of 

 specimen. 



Alcoholic. 

 Do. 



Natrix fasciata tiansveisa Hallow. 



Iropidonotus Iransvcrsus Hallow., Proc. Acad. Phila., 1852, p. 177. 



Nerodia transversa Bd. aud Gird., Cat. Serpt. N. Amor., 1853, p. 148. 



Ncrodia woodhoiisei Bd. and Gird., Cat. Serpt. N. Amer., 1853, p. 42; Kept. U. S. Pac. 



R. R. Snrv., X, 1859, Whipple's Rept., 41. 

 Tropidonotus woodhousei Jau, Icon. Gen. Ofid., II, 20, IV, Fig. 1. 



Texan district. 



