872 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



This subspecies ranges from western Canada to the Valley of Mexico, 

 inclusive. It is the common species of Texas, and even occurs iu 

 Souora. It is a curious fact that this form has both the extreme 

 northern and southern ranges, while the Arizonian form is so restricted. 



Two living specimens of this form were under my observation for a 

 number of months. Their hissing was remarkably loud and prolonged, 

 and they threw the tail into rapid vibrations, as do rattlesnakes, etc. 

 They would not eat, and died of starvation. 



Pityophis sayi sayi Schlegel. 



Catal_ogue| Number 

 mens. 



No. 



1575 



1561 



1559 



5233 



1518 



1558 



1532 



10799 



14532 



15665 



1475 



1543 



5465 



1548 



1553 



9128 



1540 



9321 



22139-41 



14744 

 17791 

 19675 



Locality. 



Southern Illinois 



Eocls Island, Illinois 



do 



Nebraska 



Rush Lake, Sonora 



Fort Suelling, Minnesota.. 



Anton Chico, Texas 



Davenport, Iowa 



Fort Custer, Montana 



San Diego, Texas 



Mexico 



Poplar River, Montana 



Platte River Valley 



Lower Rio Grande, Texas . 



Upjier Missouri 



Yellowstone River 



Red River, Texas 



Yellowstone River 



Las Cruces, New Mexico, 



Experiment Station. 

 Fort Huachuca, Arizona. . . 



do 



do 



From whom received. 



R. Kennicott.. 

 J. D. Sergeant 



J. Reyibolds. 



D.S.Sheldon .... 

 Capt. C. Bendire . 

 W.Taylor , 



Dr. G. Suckley . 



Mr. Allen 



Capt.G.B.McClellan,U.S.A 



J.H.Beatty 



T. D. A. Cockerell 



Benson 

 Wilcox , 

 do ., 



Nature of specimen. 



Alcoholic, 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 



do. 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 

 do: 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 



do. 

 do. 

 do. 



PITYOPHIS SAYI BELLONA Baird and GirarJ. 



PityopMs sayi bellona Cope, Check-list N. Amer. Batr. Rept., 1875, p. 39. 

 Pituophis bellona Baikd aud Girard, Cat. N. Amer. Rept., Ft. 1, Serp., 1853, p. 66. 

 Churchillia bellona Baird aud Girard, Reptiles, Stansbnry's Rept. Expl. Great 

 Salt Lake, 1852, p. 350. 



Head ellipti(;al, rather pointed, little compressed. Vertical plate very 

 broad anteriorly. A second anterior vertical, small, and siibcordiform. 

 Anteorbitals two ; postorbitals four. Dorsal rows of scales twenty-nine 

 to thirty- three; the seven outer rows smooth. Tail about one-twelfth 

 of total length. Head maculated with black; transverse frontal bar 

 extending from one orbit to the other, well marked; the oblique post- 

 ocular vitta rather narrow, aud reaching the angle of the mouth. Color 

 of the body whitish yellow, sometimes reddish yellow, with a dorsal 

 series of deep black blotches, or of deep brown, margined with black, 

 forty-five to sixty-three in number, from the head to the origin of the 

 tail, and a series of smaller spots on each side. Ten transverse jet 

 black bars on the tail. Flanks crowded with small and irregular 

 blotches. Abdomen dull yellow, maculated with black blotches more 

 or less crowded. 



Head broad behind, and well separated from the body by a con- 



