CROCODILIANS, LIZARDS, AND SNAKES. 



877 



from the orbit, into wiiicli, liowever, the fifth occasionally enters. 

 Temporal shields scarcely to be distinguished from the scales. Upper 

 labials eight or nine, fourth or fifth occasionally coming into the orbit, 

 l)enultimate the largest. Lower labials twelve or thirteen, fifth or sixth 

 the largest, the six posterior ones very much reduced. Dorsal scales 

 elliptical, forming twenty-nine to thirty-one rows, the three outer rows 

 perfectly smooth, slight carinae on the eighth, ninth, or tenth rows, and 

 not very conspicuous on the remaining ones. Tail conical and tapering. 

 Ground color yellowish, Avith a dorsal series of subquadrate blotches, 

 about ninety in number, twenty of which on the tail. These are deep 

 brown, margined with black anteriorly, entirely black posteriorly; 

 these blotches cover transversely eight or nine rows of scales, embrac- 



Fig. 208. 



PiTYOPHIS CATENIPEB BlAINVILLE. 

 = 1. 



Humboldt Bay, California. 



Cat. No. 1804, U.S.N. M. 



ing longitudinally five to seven scales on the anterior region of the body, 

 and two or three posteriorly. The spaces between the blotches are of 

 the width of one to two scales for the whole length of the body, as in 

 P. sayi. A lateral series of blotches on each side of the medial, cover- 

 ing three rows of scales, and alternating with the median series. A 

 series of blotches along the middle of the flanks opposite to those of 

 the median dorsal series. On the anterior part of tlie body the lateral 

 blotches are eh)ngated and occasionally combine into a band or vitta 

 behind the neck. On the anterior third of the body an indistinct series 

 of black spots may be seen between the scuta and the outer series of 

 lateral blotches. Inferior surface of head and abdomen dull yellowish 

 white with two series of distant blotches, the outer series more conspic- 



