1070 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



fifth rows IVoui the abdomen ; the third upou the eighth and uiiith. In 

 many cases the last -mentioned rows have the spots on opposite sides 

 more or less confluent, giving the ai)pe!>rance of a single median series. 

 These rows of spots are sometimes of a dark chestnut brown, at others 

 nearly black, and often so blended with the olivaceous of the back as 

 to be scarcely discernible. Numerous short white lines visible on 

 stretching the skin. 



Although the first, second, and third exterior dorsal rows of scales 

 are colored like the abdomen, yet a lighter shade on the second and 

 third gives indication of a lateral stripe. 



The bases of the abdominal scales on each side near the outer 

 extremities have a black blotch. There is also the usual double spot 

 on the occiput, not areolated. The dark spotting on the sides belongs 

 more or less to the skin between the scales, in some cases merely ting- 

 ing the edges of the latter. 



The relative leugtli of the tail to the total, as observed in 38 speci- 

 mens, is as follows: Five and one-fifth times in total length, 1 specimen; 

 five and one-fifteenth, 1 specimen; four and eleven -twelfths, 1; four 

 and five-sixths, 2; four and four-fifths, 2: four and three- fourths, 5; 

 four and three-fifths, 1; four and two-fifths 3; four and one- third, 1; 

 four and one-fourth, 1 ; four and one-fifth, 1 ; four and one-eighth, 2; four 

 and one-sixth, 3; four and one tenth, 1 ; four and one-twelfth, 2; four, 

 2; three and nine-tenths, 1; three and three-fourths, 2. 



The definition of the spots in this subspecies varies, some having 

 them of smaller and others of larger size, thus exposing more or less 

 of the ground color. 



The E. s. sirtalis is the most abundant snake of the eastern region, 

 and it is common in the Austroriparian, including the Floridan district. 

 Its occurrence in the Texan district is uncertain, as I have not seen it 

 from west of Dallas on the north and Galveston on the south. From 

 the fact that it occurs in the wet portions of eastern Mexico and Guate- 

 mala I suspect that it will be also found in southern Texas. 



Specimens derived from the Central, Pacific, and Sonoran regions, 

 referred to this subspecies by various persons, I find on examination 

 to be referable to other species or subspecies. No specimens of the 

 E. sirtalis sirtalis have come under my observation from those regions. 

 The most western locality from which the National Museum i)Ossesses a 

 specimen is Fort Kearney (now Junction City), Kansas, Avhich is at the 

 western limit of the eastern third of that State; Cat. No. C21. 



A color variation is exhibited bj^ Cat. No. 1008, from Bedford, Long- 

 Island, New York, where the black spots of the superior rows con- 

 nect with each other across the median dorsal stripe, cutting the lat- 

 ter into sections. A corresponding peculiarity is seen in sojne speci- 

 mens of U. s. ordinata. In Cat. No. 9992 the spots approach, but do 

 not join.^ 



' Eutwnia pnlchrilatnn Coi>(^, Pror. Aiaer. Phil. 8oc., 1884, pp. 173, 174. 



