vor 

 I8'J1 



y^ll''] PROCEEDINGS OP THE NATIONAL MUSEUM, 0.^5 



Coluber (tUtf/lniiiinsis Ilolliniok, \. Ammt. IIi||i.. i, H:?i"., 111. I'l. xx ; ibid., '2i\ t-A., 



Ill, Ifl4-J, p. H."), ri. MX. 

 Scolojihia cdh-(jhe)tH-nsin Jid. and Gird., Cat. Sorpt. N. Ann r., ls.'>:t, p. 7::. 

 Ehiphin allct/heniensis Allen, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hi.st., .\ii. 1-tH, ji. i^i ; j.,,, i,.,,„ 



ficn. Olid., II, '21 ii. 

 EUiph'iH huUivookii Dmii. IJibr., Erp. Gen., \'ii. ls.'>-l, p. "JT'J. 

 Scotophis lindheimerii Bd. and Gird., Cat. Scrpt. 185:^, p. 74. 



Two plates in the liist row of temporals ; eight superior labial phites. 

 Parietal plate longer than or eqnal to length ofiiin/zh' from front of 

 frontal plate. Scales generally in twenty-seven rows, sometinu's row.s 

 keeled; tail long, scutella not exceeding 92 ; gastrosteges from alxmt 

 230 to 245. 



Black or brown above with or without darker snbipiadnitr .spots ; 

 head not banded ; belly very darkly clouded. 



This somewhat variable species is represented by two snbspecific 

 forms, one of which shows allinity to the C. quadrivittatus. They dif- 

 fer as follows ; 



Spots when visible on the ver}- dark ground, distinct : a row of obscnro spots on each 

 side of tliein Co. obmiUlutt 



Ground light brown abovf, niarki-d l»y siiuare dark brown spot.s, which are connected 

 at the angles, forming a longitudinal stripe ; no lateral spots, but a broad dark 

 stripe four to six scales wide C. <>. hmniacatua 



This species ranges throughout the entire Anstroriparian region 

 from the Rio (rrande ; and the eastern, excepting only the Iludsonian 

 district. The form ('. o. Icmniscains is restricted to the (liilf States, I)ut 

 the 6\ 0. o&.so/(?/j/.s' extends as far north as Mount Tom, .Massachusetts, 

 on the Connecticut l^iver, according to J. A. Allen. Dr. Ilolbrook re- 

 cords it from the highlands of the Hudson Kiver, New York. Prof. 

 Verrill does not enumerate it among the species taken near Norway, 

 Maine. 



This species is not rare in the Middle States. It is, like other mem 

 bers of the genus, of very iuolVensive habits, and is useful in reducing 

 the number of the small mammalia. It is mueii less active tliaii tiie 

 lUiscanium cotistrictor, wiiich it resembles in nothing but color. It is 

 known as the Mountain HIacksnake, or Pilot Snake. 



Coluber obsoletns obsoletua Say. 



Cope, Check List Batr. Kcjit. N. Auht., 1-7.".. p. :('.». 



f'ol iihi r obHohtiix i^iiy, Harlan, Cope, 1. c, Scolopliis (disoletus Kiun. (olubrr alli- 



<lhe)iiv)isis Holbrook, 1. e. Scotophis ulle^iheiiirutiiM Bd. and (Jird., 1. c. Elaphm 



alle<ihtiiieutii8 Allen, 1. c. 

 Ehtphis holbrookii Dnin. liilir., 1. c. 

 Scotophi>t rnidlicimaii \U\. and Gird., 1. <•. 



Eastern region ex(;lnsive of the Ilud.sonian district ; Au8trori[)arian 

 region exclusive of Floiidan district. 



Coluber obsoletns leniniscatua Cope. 



Proc. IT. S. Nat. Mus., 1S>>, p. ;:-ti. 

 Georgia. Alabama. 



