SNAKES OF THE GENUS PITUOPHIS 59 



specimen with 6 supralabials is from Murphy, Tenn. A single speci- 

 men from Belleplain, N. J., varies from the normal in the presence of 

 two preoculars, while another from the same locality lacks a loreal on 

 both sides, and an example from Charleston, S. C, has a loreal on the 

 left side only. One-tenth of the specimens examined have the rostral 

 penetrating the whole distance between the intemasals, one-third have 

 it penetrating only one-half of the distance, and the remaining speci- 

 mens vary between these two extremes. About two-thirds of the 

 specimens have the frontal midivided, while the additional third have 

 it partially divided, from one-sixth to one-half of the frontal length. 



Sexual, as well as geographic, variation is difficult to determine 

 accurately in such a limited series of specimens. In the specimens 

 examined the dorsal scale formula averages slightly higher in females 

 than in males. The ventrals range from 205 to 221 (average 211.7) 

 in males and from 212 to 223 (average 216.8) in females; caudals vary 

 from 56 to 66 (average 60.9) in males and from 52 to 59 (average 55.0) 

 in females; supralabials average 7.8 in males and 7.9 in females, while 

 infralabials average 12.2 in males and 12.0 in females; postoculars 

 average 3.2 in males and 3.1 in females, while the only specimen with 

 more than one preocular is a female. The number of spots on the 

 body, in correlation with the higher number of ventral scutes in females, 

 averages 25.6 in males, and 26.1 in females, while the number of tail 

 spots, in correlation with the higher number of caudals in males, 

 averages 7.5 in males and 7.0 in females. The tail length varies in 

 males from 0.122 to 0.141 of the total length (average 0.134) and in 

 females from 0.120 to 0.136 (average 0.127). 



Range. — The recorded range of this form extends from Charleston, 

 S. C, north to Rocldand County, N. Y., and west to Murphy, Tenn. 

 (near KjioxvUle). Although melanoleucus is generally considered 

 typical of the pine barrens of the Coastal Plain, it appears to be not 

 uncommon in the Allegheny Mountains, as several specimens of 

 the small series studied are from that region. In this connection Dunn 

 (1917, p. 101) says: "This snake is fairly well known in Virginia as the 

 'bull snake.' It does not seem to occur outside of the mountains as 

 all of the many stories of this snake, reputed to reach a length of 

 twelve feet, have their scene in the western tier of counties." 



Specimens have been examined from the following localities: 



South Carolina: Charleston County, Charleston; Oconee County, Walhalla. 



North Carolina: Moore County, between Vass and Southern Pines. 



Tennessee: Knox County, Murphy. 



Virginia: Bath County, Nimrod Hall; Birmingham County, Atston (this locality 

 must be erroneous; possibly it should be Atsion, Burlington County, N. J.). 



New Jersey: Atlantic County, Mays Landing; Burlington County, Speedwell (near 

 Chatsworth); Browns Mills in the Pines; Mount Holly; Cape May County, 

 Belleplain; Ocean Covlnty, Stafford Forge (near Tuckerton); Lakehurst. 

 136423—40 5 



