v.. XIV. I 

 1«91. J 



PROCEEDINGS ()V THE NATIONAL Ml'SKUM. 



f)91 



ciliary plates. Second i)air oniifjTior labiiils wjtli tlic niaif^iiial portion 

 cut oft" from the postsympbyseal portion. (iVInips an abnormality.; 



Tlie color is light red, marked above with dicp red spots. These 

 are of a longitudinal oval form anteriorly, but posteriorly they have 

 a diamond-shaped form. They have no distinct lateral borders, «'itlicr 

 light or dark; but they are separated on the median line of the back 

 by a single row of yellow-tipped scales. Traces of brownish reil indefi- 

 nite spots opposite their lateral angles as well as their intervals. 

 Head without marking, except a faint trace of a pale line from the eye 

 to the border of the mouth below it. Inferior surfaces yellow. Tail 

 white with five black cross bands, of which all but the first are com- 

 plete rings. 



9209; L»7, 17: 186,26: 1245""" (with rattle); 122"'"' with rattle ; rattle 

 (seven joints and a button) 44""". 



This peculiar and handsome form is connected with the subspecies 

 . atrox by the specimen «S856, which has a similar head sentellation. 

 The absence of either light or dark borders to the dorsal spots iu the 

 C. a. ruber gives it a much more aberrant appearance. 



Crotalus adamauteus ruber Cope. 



Catalogue 



No. 



0209 



No. of 

 Hpecinien. 



Locality. 



From whom received. 



Xftturt' of 

 .MIH'tiiiii'ii. 



Ak'obolic. 



Crotalus couflueiitus Say. 



Say L()ug8. Exped. Rocky Moiiutaiiis ii, IS'i'.i, 4H ; Cope Cliock List N. Aiiut. Hatr. 

 Rept., 1875, p. 33, Cones' Report i:. S. G. G. Survey W. of luotli Mvt., p. ('.(tj; 

 Cope, Proe. Acad. Phila., 1883, p. U. 



Top of muzzle with smaller scales between large ones of the can- 

 thus rostralis. Kostral plate elevated, in contact with the preiiasai. 

 One or two loreals; three or four rows between eye and hibial seales. 

 Body scales iu twenty-three to twenty seven rows, all keeled except 

 the external three on each side. 



Color light brown, with one row of dark-brown spots, usually paler 

 edged on the median line of tlic back, wiiicli are generally longer than 

 wide anteriorly, but soon become tiansversely oval, and ultimately as- 

 sume the form of crossbands. Tail of the same color as the body, with 

 crossbands of the color of the dorsal siK)ts. Uelly unspotted, but with 

 dark shades iu some forms. 



Four well-defined subspecies are embraced in this species; they are 

 defined as follows: 



Cephalic scales larger; fotirrow.s between superciliary plati-s; four rows below orbit; 

 dorsal spots and ct'[dialic bands light edgfd ; few jK^storior <ros«band>'.r»)w//H(H/iM. 

 Cephalic scales iutermetliate ; six rows between .superciliarios; three rows below 

 orbit (probably sonietinies four); dorsal spots square, with the headbands not 

 light-edged; posterior crossbaiuls njore numerous; colors dotted with brown 

 specks pitlnriilenlut. 



