1888.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 381 



ON THE SNAKES OF FLORIDA. 



BY E. D. COPE. 



(With Plate xxxvi, Figs. 3, 4.) 



Becent explorations have brought to light a good many additions to 

 the snake fauna of Florida, and the present opportunity is taken for the 

 purpose of making them known, as well as of discussiug the nomenclat- 

 ure of some of the species already known.* 



Tantilla coronata B. & G. The most eastern locality for this species is Volusia, on 

 Lake George. 



Contia pygeea Cope. Known from but two localities, Volusia aud Gainesville (Gar- 

 man"). 



Osceola elapsoidea Holbr. Not uncommon throughout the State. 



Cemophora coccinea Blum. Not uncommon ; found as far south as Georgiana 

 County. 



Ophibolus doliatus syspilus Cope, subsp. nov. 



The brown and red spotted and ringed species of Ophibolus form a 

 continuous series of color modifications, commencing with the spotted 

 0. d. triangulus] and terminating with the 0. d. coccineus, which ap- 

 proaches the Osceola elapsoidea, As a whole the Ophibolus doliatus L. 

 differs from the other species of the genus in the number of its temporal 

 shields. These are 2 (l)-2-3, while in the others, including 0. rhom- 

 bomaculatust and 0. calligaster, exhibit 2-3-4, with occasional irregu- 

 larities. 



The 0. triangulum and 0. coccineus have been always regarded as dis 

 tinct species ; and so numerous are their differential characters, in col- 

 oration, size, and squamation, that this view would seem to rest on a 

 satisfactory foundation. I find, however, that individuals exist which 

 represent every stage of development of each character which distin- 

 guishes them, although certain types appear to be more abundant than 

 the intermediate ones. 0. triangulum is a species of larger size, with 

 two anterior temporals, a row of large dorsal spots, and other smaller 

 ones on the sides, on a grayish ground; with a chevron, and often 

 other marks on the top of the head, and a band posterior to the eye. 

 0. coccineus is a small snake with a small loreal plate and one anterior 

 temporal; color red, with pairs of black rings extending around the 

 body, and no markings on the head excepting that the anterior ring of the 

 anterior pair crosses the posterior edge of the occipital shields, forming 



~~ "A list of the species of cold-blooded vertebrata of Volusia, Florida, is given in the 

 Proceed. Ainer. Philosoph. Soc, 1877, p. 64. 



t As pointed out in the preface to the Check-List of the Batrachia and Reptilia ot 

 North America, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., i, p. 1. 



1 This species is not rare in Virginia, two specimens having been taken in the neigh- 

 borhood of Alexandria, one by Dr. A. K. Fisher, of the Agricultural Department. 



