SNAKES OF THE GENUS PITUOPHIS 69 



fusion with the lateral spots. These ventral spots are each 1 to 3 

 scutes in length and are separated by 2 to 7 scutes. Between them, 

 becoming progressively more numerous posteriorly, additional small 

 brown spots occur. On the posterior part of the belly these fre- 

 quently fuse with one another and with the spots of the lateral ventral 

 series to form a kind of continuous network of brown. The ground 

 color of the anterior part of the dorsum is pale rusty brown, while 

 that of the posterior dorsum and of the belly and head is a pale buff 

 or yellowish white. The top of the head is more or less dappled with 

 brown. (Fig. 34.) 



Variation. — Because of the very limited number of specimens of 

 this form, and the lack of definite locality records for many of these, 

 a detailed study of geographic variation is impossible. The slight 

 variations apparent in the small series studied are shown on the 

 accompanying graphs (figs. 35 to 40). These must be interpreted 

 with caution and due consideration of the fact that the northwestern 

 area is represented by a single specimen from Pensacola, while only 

 three specimens, one each from Fort Pierce, Sebastian, and Eau Gallic, 

 represent the southern region. Even the central part of Florida, with 

 the highest number for any region plotted, contributes only 1 1 speci- 

 mens. 



Although the true range of sexual variation can be determined only 

 by the study of a large series of specimens, it seems to be apparent 

 in several characters even in the small series examined. Thus the 

 ventrals vary from 218 to 227 (average 222.1) in males and from 219 to 

 235 (average 226.5) in females; caudals vary from 61 to 67 (average 

 63.6) in males and from 53 to 67 (average 56.4) in females ; supralabials 

 average 8.2 in males, and 8.3 in females; infralabials average 13.9 in 

 males, and 13.4 in females; postoculars average 3.0 in males and 3.2 in 

 females. In males the tail length varies from 0.137 to 0.146 (average 

 0.138) of the total length, and in females from 0.118 to 0.147 (aver- 

 age 0.128), while in correlation with this, the number of tail spots 

 ranges from 6 to 10 (average 7.9) in males and from 5 to 9 (average 

 7.3) in females. Here again it must be remembered that the exami- 

 nation of a much larger series of specimens more truly representative 

 of the entire range of the form might greatly modify, or even reverse, 

 these results. 



A single specimen from Eureka, Fla. (U. Mich. No. 58900), bears a 

 divided anal. In this character the specimen is unique among all 

 those examined of the entire genus, and only one other specimen, an 

 example of m. melanoleucus (U. Pa, No. 278), which has the anal plate 

 partially divided, exhibits a similar anomaly. 



Range. — The known range of this form extends from 10 miles north 

 of West Palm Beach, the type locality on the eastern coast of southern 

 Florida, north to Jacksonville in the northeastern, and to Pensacola 



