'"'isyll''] PROCEEDINGS OF THK NATIONAL MU8EUM. (J41 



Pityophis sayi sayi Sdil. 



Cope, Check List N. Amer. P.atr. Kept. N. Amcr., l.-iT."), p, :VJ. 



Pityophis saiji lid. ;iiul Gird., Cat. N. Amer. Kept., Pt. i, Serpents, 18.'):?, p l.-.l ; Colnhir 

 sayi Sclilegel, Ess. s. 1. Pbysionomie des Serpents, 1^:$/, p. l.")7; fityo/ihis mmclel- 

 lanii Bd. and Gird., Cat. 1853, p. 68; Pilyophia mexicaniis I)nni. Hihr., Eri». (Jen., 

 VII, p. 2:56; 1854, Jan, Icon. Jan. OHd., ii, 22 ii, Fifj. 1. 



This sul)si)ecies ran j]fe.s from western C;ni:i<l:i to tiie central re;;ion 

 of Nortli America and .Mexico to tlie valley of Mexico, inclnsive. It is 

 the common species of Texas, and even occurs in Sonora. It is ;i cuii- 

 ons fact that this form ha.s both the extreme northern and soutlicrn 

 ranges, while the Arizonian form is so restricted. 



Pityophis .sayi belloua I5d. and Gird. 



Cope, Check List N. Amer. Batr. Kept., 1875, p. :{'.). rHyophix hrUmni lid. and (Jird., 

 Cat. Kept. N. Amer., PI. i, Serp., 1^5:?, p. 6(); Cliurcltillia licllona Bd. and (iird., 

 Keptilcs of Stansbnry's Keport Expl. Groat Salt Lake, 1»52, p. :J50 ; Pityopliin 

 melanoleucua, Jan, Icon. Gen. Odd., il, 22 i. Fig. 2. 



Of sixteen si)ecimens examined, twelve have S-8 superior labials, two 

 have 8-5); and two have 0-9. Four have twenty-nine rows of scales, 

 nine have thirty-one and two have thirty-three. Six have between forty 

 and lifty dorsal spots on the body; ei^^ht have between fifty and sixty; 

 and two have sixty to sixty-three. About two-thirds have the centers 

 of the dorsal spots paler than the borders, and the remainder have tlie 

 spots black throughout. The only constant character of this su()spe- 

 cies as compared with P. s. sayi is the form of the rostral plate, but Xo. 

 8401 is intermediate between the two in this respect. Some specimens 

 from Oregon are intermediate between it and P. catenifer. 



The geographical range of this subspecies is thedrcat F.asin from 

 Oregon south to the basin of the Cohnado, and Arizona. 



The typical specimen of the Churvhillia bellona lid. and (iird. can not 

 now be found. It is, however, from the valley of the Kio Grande, which 

 is principally occui)ied by the P. sayi sayi. The second specin)en enu- 

 merated in Baird and Giranl's catalogue under the /'. hcUomt is finin 

 western Texas, between San Antonio and El Taso, and hence from the 

 same region as the tyi)e. This belongs to the P. sayi sayi, nx t\v\vi- 

 mined by the examination of the specimen in the U. S. National Mu- 

 seum. However, jiaird's figure of the head of the J', helhnia in the 

 Vol. X of the lieport of the IT. S. Surveys for the Pac. II. Ii., PI. xxix, 

 Fig. 40, represents this subspecies. 



Pityophis catenifer Biainv. 



Bd. and Gird.. Cat. Kept. N. Amer., I't. i, Serpents, lH.-,:5.p. (V.); Giinther, Cat. Colnl)r, 

 Snakes Brit. Mus., l-i.")S; p. 87 ; Cope, Check List N. Amer. Batr. Kept., 1^75. p. 

 p. 39; Coluber catenifer Blainvillo, Nonv. Ann. Mns. Hist. Nat. Paris, iv, ia3.'>, PL 

 xxvi, V'\iTs.2,2a,2h: Pityophis anneclcn» Bd. and Gird., Cat. Serp., l.-^r^i, p. 72, 

 I'ityophix wilkcuii Bd. and Gink, Cat. Serpt. N. Amer., K>'.\, |>. 71; Pilyophin hirr- 

 mannii Hallowell, Proc. Acad. IMiila., 18.">3, p. 2'M\; ['ilyophin rcrt'hralig Mallowvll, 

 U. S. Pac.R K. Siirv. Kept., \. l-.vi; Williamson's Report, p. 17. 



Proc. N. M. 91 41 



