NO. 2179. 



VARIATION IN GARTER SNAKES— THOMPSON 



359 



The color of this set is as follows: The ground varies from a very 

 dark red-brown to a dark brown ; the dorsal and lateral rows of spots 

 absent or when visible rangmg from a mere shade darker than the 

 gromid color to sharply defined marks; the median stripe uniform 

 canary yellow or mixed yellow and salmon ; the lateral stripe yel- 

 lowish green or nearly solid salmon. 



San Mateo County, California. 



Scale formulas 19-17 



19-17-15 

 17-15 



One of the most interesting garter snakes on record is Cat. No. 

 53539, U.S.N.M. (Orig. No. K. 103), coUected by H. C. KeUers, United 

 States Navy. It is the only specimen known from south of Eureka 

 with the minimum formula of 17-15. Associated with this low scale 

 count is a reduction in the supralabial shields to 7, a condition also 

 found as far as this species is concerned only in the north. 



