CROCODILIANS, LIZARDS, AND SNAKES. 



881 



shades of maroon, until upon the terminal third of tbe total length they 

 are entirely black. A black or maroon band passes along the suture of 

 the urosteges. Belly immaculate. 

 Sahitation. — Cape St. Lucas, Lower California. 



Fityophis vertebralis Blainville. 



OSCEOLA Baird and Girard. 



Osceola Baikd and Girabd, Cat. Rept. N. Amer., Pt. 1, Serpents, 1853, p. 133. — 

 Cope, Trans. Anier. Phil. Soc, 1895, p. 204. 



Posterior maxillary teeth larger and more robust than the anterior, 

 not separated from them by an interspace. Hemipenis colubriform, 

 with numerous fringed calyces. Cephalic plates normal; anal plate 

 entire; urosteges two rows. Scales with two apical pits. 



This genus is intermediate between the Coronelline type of snakes 

 and the Colubrine. The scutellation and dentition are identical with 

 those of the genus OphiboluSy but the hemipenis is of a very different 

 character, being identical with that of Coluber, Fhrynonax, etc. The 

 dentition separates it rather weakly from the latter genus. It ranges 

 from the eastern district of the Medicolumbian to the Columbian 

 region of the Neotropical realm, inclusive. 



I know of but two species of this genus. They were formerly referred 

 to Ophibolus. They differ as follows: 



Temporal scuta 2-2-3; scales in 21 rows; a loreal; spotted or annulate, larger. 



U. doliata Linnaius. 

 Temporal scuta 1-2-3; scales in 17-19 rows; no loreal; annulate; smaller. 



0. elapsoidcn Holbrook. 



OSCEOLA DOLIATA Linnaeus. 



Osceola doliata CoPK, Trans. Amor. Phil. Soc, 1893, p. 215. 



Ophihohis doUafus Bairo and Gikard, Cat. N. Amer. Kept., 1853, p. 89. — Cope, 



Check list N. Amer. Hatr. Rept., 1875, pp. 4, 36; Proc. U. S. Nat. Mns., XI, 1888, 



p. 381. 

 Coluber doliaUis Linn/EUS Syst. Nat., I, 1766, p. 379.— Gmelin, Linnjens Syst. 



Nat., 13th ed., I, Pt. 3, 1788, p. 1096.— Hahlan, .lourn. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila.,V, 



1827, p. 362. 

 Coronella doliata Holbkook, N. Amer. Herpt., Ill, 1842, p. 105, pi. 24.— Dumkkil 



and BiuRON, Erp. Gi5n., VII, p. 621.— Gunther, Cat. Col. Snakes Brit. Mus., 



1858, p. 41, 

 Coronella coccinea Schlegel, Essai Phys. Serp., 1, 1837, p. 135 ; II, p. 57. 



Scales in twenty-one rows, rather wide. Tail rather short, entering 

 total length six and two-thirds times. Head rather flat, little distinct. 



NAT MUS 98 56 



