882 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



Loreal small, longer than bigli; one preocular, two postoculars. Tem- 

 porals 2-2 (rarely 1-2). Frontal ratlier wide, narrowing the super- 

 ciliaries in front. Parietals ratlier wide, the length a little less than 

 that of frontal and prefrontals combined. Seven superior labials, all 

 higher than long except the first, the third and fourth bounding the 

 orbit. Geueials, the anterior about twice the size of the posterior. 

 Size medium to small. 



The ground color of the superior surfaces varies from ashen to bright 

 yellow, but it only appears as transverse spaces between the broad 

 reddish-brown to crimson spots or saddles which cross the back. The 

 extent to which these spots preserve their outlines or surround the 

 body like rings forms the indication of the characters of various sub- 

 species. The coloration of the head varies from red or black abruptly 

 cut off posteriorly, to banded with two chevrons, a brown within a 

 yellow one, with a yellow cross-band on the nose. 



■ The variations of this species are remarkable and form the subject 

 of some remarks I made on former occasions, and which 1 now quote :^ 



The most northern and the most southern forms of the genus Osceola, the 0. trian- 

 gula and 0. coccinea, have always been regarded as distinct species; and so iinmerous 

 are their differential characters in coloration, size, and squamation that tliis view 

 wonld seem to rest on a satisfactory foundation. I iind, however, that individuals 

 exist which represent every stage of development of each character which distin- 

 guishes them, although certain types appear to be more abundant than the interme- 

 diate ones. 0. irUinyula is a species of larger size, with two temporal jilates, a 

 row of large brown dorsal spots, and other smaller ones on the sides, on a grayish 

 ground, with a chevron, and often other marks on the top of the head, and a baud 

 posterior to the eye. 0. coccinea is a small snake with a small loreal plate and one 

 temporal shield; color red, with pairs of black rings extending round the body, and 

 no markings on the head excepting that the anterior ring of the anterior pair crosses 

 the posterior edge of the occipital shields, forming a half collar. The transiticm is 

 accomplished thus: The lateral borders of the dorsal sj)ots of O. triani/ula break 

 up, and the lateral spots become attached to their anterior and posterior dark bor- 

 ders. The chevron of the top of the head first breaks into spots, and then its pos- 

 terior portions unite with each other. The borders of the old dorsal spots continue 

 to the abdomen, where the remaining lateral portions finally meet on the middle line, 

 forming a black line. This breaks up and disappears, leaving the annuli open ; and 

 these are then completed in many siiecimens. The general colors become more bril- 

 liant and the size smaller. The head is more depressed ; in immediate relation to 

 this form, the loreal plate is reduced in size, and the two temporal shields of O. tri- 

 angula are sometimes reduced to one. Every form of combination of these char- 

 acters can be found, which represent five species of the books (in North America), 

 viz: O. trianyula, 0. doliata, 0. annulata, 0. (lentilis, and O. coccinea. The oldest name 

 is the 0. doliata Linn. Another series of specimens resemble very closely those 

 of the subspecies coccinea; in fact, are identical with them in color. The loreal 

 shield is, however, extinguished, and the rows of scales are reduced by one on each 

 side. These specimens simply carry one degree further the modifications already 

 described. Yet, on account of the constancy of these characters, I am compelled to 

 regard these individuals not only as a distinct species, but, on account of the absence 

 of the loreal plate, as belonging to another genus. This is the Calamaria elapsoidea 

 of Holbrook; the Osceola elapsoidea of Baird and Girard. It affords an illustration 



Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1875, p. 4 ; Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1888, p. 381. 



