810 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 

 Zavienis lateralis fuliginoaus Cope. 



ZAMENIS AURIGULUS Cope. 



Bascanium aurigulum Cope, Check-list N. Amer. Batr. Rept. N., 1875, p. 40. 

 Drymobius aurigulua Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1861, p. 301. 



Scales in seventeen rows, those of the median series very elongate. 

 Crown and muzzle very plane, supercilium and canthus rostralis promi- 

 nent; eye moderate, muzzle 

 more elongate than in any 

 other species of the genus. 

 Eostral plate rounded, 

 slightly prominent, recurved 

 above. Frontal elongate, 

 posteriorly half as wide as 

 each superciliary, not in con- 

 tact with i)reocular. Parie- 

 tals elongate, posteriorly 

 truncate. Nasals and loreals 

 very long, the latter en- 

 croaching much on preocu- 

 lar. Three preoculars, two 

 postoculars. Superior labi- 

 als eight, fourth and fifth entering orbit; the eighth equal in elevation 

 and length to the penultimate; both much longer than high. Inferior 

 labials ten, fifth largest; postgeneials longer than pregeneials. 



Color above brown, becoming nearly black anteriorly. Cephalic 

 plates light brown, shaded with yellow. A narrow yellow band passes 

 round the muzzle from eye to eye. A spot on the temporal region, one 

 on the postoculars; all the labials, the chin, and anterior part of the 

 abdomen bright golden and unspotted, as are also the sides of the neck 

 and anterior fourth of body to the fifth row of scales. On the second 

 and third rows of scales of the latter region is a black band regularly 

 interrupted at intervals of about seven scales, which bounds a yellow 

 lateral stripe above it where present. It finally becomes continuous, 

 and with a band upon the first row almost excludes the yellow ground 

 color upon the i)osterior and middle parts of the body. Abdomen dirty 

 yellowish, unspotted. 



Proportions slender, but the specimen does not include the posterior 

 half of the length. This curiously marked species mostly resembles 

 the Z. lateralis. The lateral stripe is confined to the third and fourth 

 rows opposite the lateral black stripe, but at the interruptions extend 



Fig. 179. 



Zamenis aurigdlus Cope. 



= 1. 



Cape St. Lucas. 



Cat. No. 5793, U.S.N. M. 



