614 NORTH AMERICAN SNAKES COPE. 



OphiboliTS getulus californiee De Bl. 



Uphiholns californuv Co])e, Check List Batr. Rent. N. Ainer., 1875, p. :57. 



Colubt r {Oj)his) califoniia' De Blaiiiville. Arch. Mus. tVHi.st. Nat., Paris, iir, 18.14, p. 



GO, PI. xxvii, Figs. 1, Irt, Ih ; lid. and Gird., Cat. Serp. N. Atnei-., 1853, p. 153. 

 VoroneUa California} Diim. and Bibr., Erp. Geu., vii, 1854, p. 623. 

 Ophiholns f/etuliis eiseiiii Yarrow, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., l-;82, p. -131). 

 Coro)iella (/etttltts caHforniea, Jan. Icou. Cen. Ofid., i, Livr., 14 PL, v., Fig. 3. 



Southern California and Lower California. 



DIADOPHIS Bd. aud Gird. 



Cat. Rept. N. Amer., Pt. i, Serpents, 1853, p. 112; Cope, Bnll. U. S. Nat. Mus. 32, 



1887, pp. 54.8'1. 



Head normal, distinct from body. Teeth of maxillary bone snbe<iual, 

 and in an uninterruj)ted series. Palatine teeth present. Ceplialic 

 plates normal ; rostral normal, two nasals, one loreal. Scales smooth, 

 unifossate. Anal [)late and subcaudal scuta divided. 



Diadophis is allied to Dromicus, but in that genus the last superior 

 maxillary tooth is longer, and follows a toothless space, and the scales 

 are pitless. Rhadiujea agrees with Diadophis in dentition, but has no 

 scale pits, as in Dromicus. Both of these genera are Neotropical in 

 distribution. The species of Diadophis are North American in distri- 

 bution, except one from the Bahama Islands. It is, however, not 

 unlikely that other species will be referred to this genus when the 

 characters of their scale pits shall be known. 



The North American species of Diadophis are difficult to define, 

 owing to their variability. If exceptions to definitions were to be 

 chiefly considered all might be regarded as one species. They are 

 easily se*en to be of common origin at no very remote period. The num- 

 ber of labial scuta is variable in all of the forms; the number of rows 

 of scales is much less so. The width of the yellow neck collar is very 

 variable; in the D. regalis it may be present or absent. The distribu- 

 tion of the spots on the belly, whether regular or irregular, coincides 

 with other characters quite closely, but the absence of the median 

 series from the form with 3 rows is of no significance. The light or 

 dark (;olor of the dorsal region characterizes geographical varieties of 

 esich of the three North American species. The species are character- 

 ized as follows : 



J. Tail long; urostcges 11"J ; temporals 1-2. 



Scales iu seventeen rows; superior labials, eight; light reddish browu above, 



white below ; unsi)otted D. rubescens. 



II. Tail short ; urosteges not more than (iO ; temporals 1-1 ; generally a collar. 



Scales in seventeen rows; superior labials, seven ; labials, throat, and belly 

 irregularlj' spotted />. regalis. 



Scales in iifleen rows; suyerinr lubials, seven ; labials, throat, and belly irregu- 

 larly si)otted D. amabilis. 



Scales iu lilteen rows; superior labials, eight; labials, throat, and belly un- 

 spotted, or the belly with a median series «f spots D. punctatua. 



