886 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



vertical plate, and in it is a central elongated spot of the ground color 

 behind the occipitals. A double light spot is seen on the junction of 

 the occipitals. There is a dark band across the posterior half of the 

 postfrontals, and another from the eye to the angle of the mouth. The 

 labials are edged with black. 



The abdomen is yellowish-white, with square black blotches, alter- 

 nating with those already described. 



The number and size of these spots varies somewhat in diilereut 

 specimens, though rarely less than forty from head to anus. The young 

 differ in having the dorsal blotches bright chestnut-red inside of the 

 black margins. The intervals are sometimes white or clear ash. 



Cat. No. Upper labial 



2342 7. 



9212 7. 



8975 7. 



Osceola doHata triangiila Bote. 



This subspecies, the common " milk snake," is abundant in the Middle 

 States. It is very harmless in its manners, and useful in its habits. It 

 lives on the small Mammalia, which are so injurious to the farmer. I 

 once caught a specimen of this species which had captured a family of 

 the Arvicola riparia, which it held in the following manner: One it had 

 swallowed, one it was in the act of swallowing, and two others were 

 securely held in two turns of the body so tightly as to render them 

 incapable of biting their captor. 



This form ranges farther north tlian any other representative of the 

 genus. It is recorded by Professor A. I]. Yerrill as being common at 

 Norway, Maine. 



OSCEOLA DOLIATA COLLARIS Cope. 



Ophibolus doliatus collaris Cope, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XI, 1888, p. 383. 

 Coronella doliata Jan, Icou. Gen. Ophid., Pt. 14, pi. iv, fig. A. 



Saddle spots reddish, with black or dark browu borders, not extend- 

 ing below the second row of scales on each side. A.lternative spots 

 black, extending upward to the second row of scales, and embracing a 



