782 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



LIOPELTIS VERNALIS DeKay. 



Liopeltis vernalis Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1860, p. 560. 



Coluber vernalis DeKay, manuscript, Harlan, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., V, 

 1827, p. 361 ; Med. Phys. Res., 1835, p. 124.— Stoker, Rept. Mass., 1839, p. 224.— 

 HoLBROOK, N. Amer. Herpt., Ill, 1842, p. 79, pi. xvii.— DeKay, New York 

 FaunaRept., 1842, p. 49, pi. xi, fig. 22.— Thompson, Hist. Vermont, 1842, p. 117. 



Chlorosovm vernalis Baird and Girard, Cat. N. Amer. Rept., Pt. 1, 1853, p. 108. 



Herpetodryas vernalis Hallo well, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pliila., 1856, p. 243. 



Cyclophis vernalis Gunther, Cat. Colubr. Snakes Brit. Mus., 1858, p. 119. 



Contia vernalis Boulenger, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mns., II, 1894, p. 258. 



Head proportionally long, ovoidal, slightly swollen on the temporal 

 region. Snout rounded and projecting considerably over the lower 

 jaw. The rostral plate shows but little from above. Outlines of pre- 

 frontals rounded, internasals proportionally large, and more than half 

 the size of the prefrontals. Frontal hexagonal, elongated, posteriorly 

 more tapering than anteriorly; sides slightly concave. Parietals large, 

 subangular. Superciliaries quite inr^e, broader posteriorly than ante- 

 riorly. Postorbitals two, subquadrangular; lower one resting on the 



Fig. 169. 



Liopeltis vernalis DeKay. 



= 1. 



Eastern "Wisconsin. 



Cat.No. 1493. U.S.N. M. 



commissure of the fourth and fifth upper labials. Anteorbital angular 

 above, rounded below, with anterior margin convex. Loreal angular, 

 louger than high, and proportionally well developed. Nasal elliptically 

 elongated, with nostril in the middle. Three temporal shields, well 

 developed; anterior one elongated, largest. Cleft of mouth curved or 

 undulated. Upper labials seven ; fourth largest; fifth and sixth nearly 

 e(iual to the fourth; third and fourth beneath the eye, forming the 

 inferior part of the orbit. Lower labials eight; fifth largest; the three 

 anterior and three posterior ones quite small. Posterior pair of mental 

 scutelLT. longer and slenderer than the anterior pair, extending much 

 beyond the fifth lower labial. 



Body elongated, subcylindrical, a little deeper than broad, covered 

 with smooth subhexagonal or subelliptical scales, in fifteen longitudinal 

 rows, the outer row broader than the rest, which diminish toward the 

 middle line of the back. The tail is very much tapering, pointed, and 

 forming about one-third or one-fourth of the total length. Dark green 

 above, lighter on the flanks; yellowish white beneath. 



