910 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



The number of rows of body and temporal scales and the more numer- 

 ous rings will distinguish this species from Osceola doliata., and those 

 above compared with it. From the Ophibolus pyrrhomelas it differs in 

 the eight superior labial plates. 



Ophibolus multisfratus Kennicott. 



OPHIBOLUS GETULUS Linnaeus. 



Ophibolus getulus Baird aud Girard, Cat. N. Amer. Kept., Pt. 1, Serp., 1853, p. 



85.— Cope, Check-list N. Amer. Batr. Rept., 1875, p. 37. 

 Coluber getulus Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., I, 1766, p. 382. — GmeLin, Linnjeus Syst. 



Nat., 13th ed., I, Pt. 3, 1788, p. 1106.— Harlan, Jouru. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 



V, 1827, p. 358.— Peale, Coutr. Maclur. Lye, I, 1829, pL v.— Gunther, Cat. 



Col. Snakes Brit. Mus., 1858, p. 249. 

 Pseudoelaps fjetulus Fitzingkr, Neue Class. Rept., 1826, p. 56. 

 Herpetoilriias getulus Schlegel, Ess. Phys. Serp., II, 1837, p. 198. 

 Coronella getula Holbrook, N. Amer. Herp., Ill, 1842, p. 95, pi. 21. — Dum^ril 



and BiBRON, Erp. G^n., VII, p. 617. — Boulenger, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus., 



II, 1894, p. 197. 

 Lampropeltis getulus Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1860, p. 255. 



Head little distinct, conical, not depressed, the muzzle slightly com- 

 pressed and the rostral plate projecting beyond the lower jaw. Ros- 

 tral plate moderately recurved on the superior face of the muzzle. Fron- 

 tal rather wide, produced posteriorly. Loreal small; oculars 1-2. The 

 eye not large, resting on the third and fourth superior labials. Tem- 

 poral scales 2-3-4. Superior labials seem higher than long, except the 

 first, sixth, and seventh. Inferior labials ten, fifth largest ; jjostgeneials 

 shorter than pregeneials. Scales in from twenty-one to twenty-five 

 rows, rather short, the sizes graduating insensibly. Tail short. 



(Iround color black, marked above and below with yellow or white 

 spots and bauds, the latter generally transverse, rarely longitudinal. 

 Labial plates light colored, with d^rk borders. Top of head black, with 

 larger or smaller white or yellow spots. 



This species ranges the entire Nearctic Realm, as far north as about 

 latitude 40°. It is not found in the Neotropical Realm, unless the 

 Lower Californian district be embraced in it. 



The variability of this species is in some i-espects considerable, while 

 in others it is quite constant. A number of distinct species have been 

 proposed on its forms, most of which I felt compelled to reduce to this 

 one as subspecies at the time of writing my Check-list in 1875. Fur- 

 ther reduction is made now. The number of rows of scales is not 

 constant. In the subspecies 0. g. getulus they may be twenty-one or 



