840 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



Sat. X»K. (;M8tri>sip^ps. rrosteges. Si-alps. l.,ength. Tail. 



mm. mm. 



4709 245 + 1. 1(H). 25. 905. 245. 



9691 242 + 1. 90. 27. 



12626 233 + 1. 94. 27. 



1597 238 + 1. 102. 27. 



1594 - 232 + 1. 98. 27. 



6406 238 + 1. ST. 27. 



13778 237 + 1. 86. 27. 



An instructive series of the young of this species was sent to the 

 U. S. National Museum by William Wittfield from Georgiana, Brevard 

 County, Florida. They number nineteen specimens, and show how a 

 longitudinally banded snake is developed from a spotted one. The 

 specimens may be divided into three lots, the first including Cat. 

 Nos. 13650, 13652, 13668, 13669, 13678, 13689, 13696, and 13706. These 

 are the smaller sjjecimens, the smallest measuring 325 mm., and the 

 largest 380 mm. The dorsal region is marked with brown spots on a 

 light ground, and there is a series of smaller spots alternating with 

 them on each side, with a trace of a second series of spots alternating 

 with the last on the ends of the gastrosteges. The dorsal spots have 

 concave anterior and posterior borders, so that the angles of one spot 

 approximate those of the adjacent ones. There are forty-two spots 

 between the nape and vent. The angles of the nuchal spot are pro- 

 duced so as to form short bands, the anterior reaching to near the 

 parietal scuta. There is a narrow brown postocular baud, and a nar 

 row one across the front on the posterior part of the prefrontal plates. 

 The lateral spots of the body are elongate in front, the first forming a 

 longitudinal line on the side of the neck. The gastrosteges are spot- 

 ted at the ends, and the middle portions are clouded in some of the 

 specimens. 



In this stage these specimens are closely similar to the C. spiloides, 

 except that the spots in the latter species are less numerous, ranging 

 from 30 to 35 on the body. They can not be distinguished by the 

 increased number of keeled rows of scales, as the keels are less evident 

 in the young than in the adult. 



The second set of specimens measure from 460 to 580 mm., and 

 embraces Cat. Xos. 13646, 13657, 13681, 13703. Here the lateral angles 

 of the dorsal spots are connected by a faint longitudinal strii^e, thus 

 forming the superior pair of stripes of the adult; and the lateral spots 

 show a trace of a similar connection on the anterior jjart of the body. 

 'Ihe marks on the head are present as in the smaller specimens, or they 

 are broken into spots or are nearly absent. The clouded marks of the 

 belly are present or absent. 



The third set varies from 580 to 620 mm., and includes Cat. Nos. 

 13656, 13670, 13675, 13686, 13691. Here the lateral stripe is fairly dis- 

 tinct, and the head and belly are immaculate. Traces of the dorsal 

 and lateral spots may be distinctly seen. * 



