920 



REPORT OF NATIONAT. MUSEUM, 1898. 



row of scales, wLere they begin to wideu, so as to embrace from five to 

 seven scales on tlie outer row. They continue of this width to the 

 middle of the abdomen, where they are either confluent with the white 

 of the opposite side, or are opposite to the black interval on the other 

 side. The black interval between the cross bands is some eight to ten 

 scales long, narrowing on the sides as the white spaces enlarge, until 

 on the outer dorsal rows it occupies them to four scales, and is contin- 

 ued to the middle of the abdomen; owing to a slight obliquity of the 

 dark patches on the back their abdominal extensions are very apt to 

 alternate with each other on the middle of the abdomen, instead of 

 being directly opposite and confluent. Every transition from the one 



Fig. 230. 



Ophibolus getulus botlii Baird and Girard. 



= 1. 



Pasadena, California. 



Cat. No. 1117, U.S.N.M. 



condition to the other is observable. The general pattern is thus: A 

 black body, encircled by white rings, which are wider on the sides and 

 beneath. The end of the tail is distinctly annulated. Occasionally 

 some of the black scales on the sides have indistinct white spots in the 

 centers. Labials, plates on the sides of the head, and above in front 

 of the vertical, yellow, with black margins. 



Cat. Nos. Upper labials. Gastrosteges. Urosteges. Scales. 



1693 7. 240 + 1. 52. 23. 



11787 7. _ _ 23. 



7847 7. _ _ 23. 



4284 7. _ _ 25. 



12624 7. _ _ 25. 



The variety which I called conjimctiis differs from the typical hoylii in 

 having the white scales black at the base, so that the annulate pattern 



