CROCODILIANS, LIZARDS, AND SNAKP^S. 

 Fityophis catenifer Jilainrille — Continued. 



879 



PITYOPHIS VERTEBRALIS Blainville. 



Pityophis vertebyaUs Dumeril and Bibron, Eip. Gen., VII, 1854, p. 238. — Cope, 

 Check-list N. Amer. Batr. Kept., 1875, p. 39; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 32, 

 1887, p. 72. 



Coluber vertebraUs De Blainville, Nouv. Ann. Mus. Nat. Hist. Paris, III, 1834, 

 p. 61, pi. XXVII, tigs. 2, 2a, 2&.— Baird and Girard, Cat. X. Amer. Rept., 1853, 

 p. 152.— BoULENGER, part. Cat. Snakes Brit. Mns., II, 1894, p. 67. 



Pityophis ha'matois Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1860, p. 342. 



Scales in from thirty-one to thirty-five rows, the exterior ten 'or twelve 

 entirely smooth, the central faintly carinate; the scales three times as 

 wide as long near the middle of the body. 



Head distinct, elongate, depressed, especially upon the region of the 

 coronal suture. Occipital shield as long as the vertical, but subject, 

 as in other species of the genus, to subdivision. Length of the vertical, 

 one and a half times the anterior breadth, the superciliary borders con- 

 cave and slightly divergent posteriorly. Posterior angle obtuse. Post- 

 frontals four, elongate, all bordering the vertical. Eostral not promi- 

 nent; as broad as high, possessing six sutural borders, the nasal twice 

 as long as any of the others. Nasal shields large, loreal longer than 

 high. Preoculars normally two, sometimes three or one. Postoculars 

 three, exceptionally four. Sui)erior labials normally niiu^ (exct^ption- 

 ally ten), the fifth entering the orbit. Inferior labials normally twelve; 

 geneials two pair, anterior twice the length of the posterior. Tail one- 

 seventh of the total length. Gastroteges two hundred and forty-seven, 

 an entire anal, urosteges sixty-one. 



MeasKrements.— Total length, 5 feet 4 inches; tail, 9 inches. 



The ground color above and below is a rich straw-yellow. The muzzle 

 is shaded anteriorly with ashy or brown; this color gradually fades 

 into a. lively sanguineous or testaceous, which tint prevails upon the 

 posterior part of the head and anterior part of the body. There arises 

 upon the tenth or eleventh row of the scales of the neck upon each side 



