90 



BULLETIN 17 5, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



One specimen taken at a small ranch about three miles from San 

 Pedro, had the remains of a small mammal in its stomach. The 

 species is well known to the natives who call it Corallilo." 



Tenon (1921, p. 170) gives the following note on this species: 

 "Indebidamente se le llama CoralUlo en la Baja California, pero 

 quizd dependa esto del solor que decimos tiene. Habitualmente se le 

 encuentra en terrenos donde la vegetaci6n es poca, y en los arenosos." 



4 6 4 



15 



82 

 BO 

 70 

 76 

 74 

 72 

 70 

 68 

 66 

 64 

 62 

 60 

 58 

 56 

 54 

 52 

 50 

 48 



Region No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 



Figure 49.— Geographic variation in total number of dorsal spots in Pituophis vertebralis. 



Nelson (1922, p. 115) lists vertebralis from the Cape district, or arid 

 tropical zone of Lower California, which comprises most of the lower 

 half of the peninsula. 



Affinities. — That the affinities of this species are with sayi affinis 

 rather than with the Mexican form deppei deppei is clearly indicated 

 b^- both the coloration and the scale characters. Thus the pattern is 



