974 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



The head is broad behind and tapers forward, very much flattened 

 above. The labials are eight above and eleven below; the fifth, sixth, 

 and seventh the largest on both jaws. 



Ground color dusky, with a dorsal series of subquadrangular brown 

 blotches, alternating with the lateral series as far as the head; with 

 anterior and posterior margins nearly parallel, rarely tapering down- 

 ward and reaching the abdominal scutelhv. The fuscous space between 

 the lateral blotclies is wider than that occupied by the blotches them- 

 selves. Along the tail both the dorsal and lateral blotches are small 

 and subcircular. Underneath the color is yellowish, and the scutellse 

 in the young margined posteriorly with black, while in the adult the 

 middle region of the scutell.ne is unicolor. The head is brownish-black, 



Fig. 252. 



Natrix fasciata tbansversa Hallowell. 



= 1. 



with a double yellow spot near the commissure of the occipital plates, 

 and two spots of the same color on the commissural line between the 

 vertical and supercilliaries. A black vitta extends from the posterior 

 rim of the eye to the angle of the mouth. 



This form has normally two more rows of scales than the subspecies 

 fasciatus and sipedon. The alternation of the dorsal and lateral spots 

 is more universal than in either of them, while the unspotted abdomen 

 relates it to the subspecies N.f. erythrogaster of tlie same geographical 

 region. 



Cat. Kos. Gastrostege.s. Frosteges. Scales. 



1316(type) 148 + 1. 83. 23. 



1308 143 + 1. ?. 25. 



1323 157 + 1. 62. 25. 



? 144+1. 67. 25. 



1327 147 + 1. 66. 25. 



