CROCODILIANS, LIZARDS, AND SNAKES. 1^)97 



CONIOPHANES IMPERIALIS Baird. 



Coniophanes imperialis Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phihi., 1861, p. 74 ; Cheok-list N. 



Amer. Batr. Rept., p. 38. 

 Tainiophis imperialis Baird, U. S. and Mex. Bound. Su^v^, II, 1859, p. 23, pi. xix, 



fig.l. 

 Erythrolamprus imperialis Boulenger, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mns., Ill, 189(5, p. 20(5. 



Scales in nineteen rows ; labials seven or eight. Sides dark ; a median 

 dorsal band of varying width. Belly, red. 



There are two well-marked subsi^ecies of this si)ecies which are defined 

 as follows : 



Superior labials seven (exceptionally eight) ; median dorsal stripe on one row of 



scales C. i. proterops Cope. 



Superior labials eight; median dorsal stripe, wide. . C. i. imperialis Baird and Girard. 



CONIOPHANES IMPERIALIS PROTEROPS Cope. 



Coniophanes j)rotcrops ('ovE, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1860, p. 249; Jour. Acad. 



Nat. Sci. Phila., 1875, p. 183.— Bocourt, Miss. Sci. Mex., Rept., 1886, p. 654. 

 Glaphyrophis lateralis Jax, Arch. Zool. Auat. Phys. Modena, II, p. 304 ; Icon. Gen. 



Ophid., 1866, p. 18, pi. v, tig. 3. 

 Coniophanes lateralis F. MiJLLER, Verb. Nat. Gess. Basel, VI, 1878, p. 598. 

 Bhadinwa proterops Cope (error), Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc, XXII, 1885, p. 381. 



Size rather small ; scales in nineteen longitudinal rows, thin, elongate, 

 obtuse. Head scarcely distinct, short profile of muzzle not elevated. 

 Anterior i^lates of the head small; loreal a little longer than high; one 

 preocular, two postoculars. Superior labials seven, third and fourth en- 

 tering the orbit. Vertical plate elongate, lateral borders convergent, i>os- 

 terior angle acute. Occipitals long. Inferior labials nine; geneials two 

 pairs, nearly equal. Gastrosteges 118-130, anal divided; urosteges 82. 



Measurements. — Length of tail, 133 mm.; total length, 362 mm. The 

 stumj) of the tail appears tetragonal in section. Coloration above, light 

 brown, every scale densely punctulated with darker, especially near the 

 margins. From the first to the fourth row of scales this is deeper, giving 

 the sides a darker sliade. The vertebral row of scales from the occipitals 

 to the end of the tail is also darker. Top of the head densely and 

 obscurely vermiculated and punctulated. The dark shade on the fourth 

 row of scales becomes a band anteriorly, and is bordered above and 

 below with white on the neck. The lower white border is discontinued 

 on the neck, but reappears as a spot three scales back of the occipitals. 

 Inferior half of rostral, upper and lower labials, chin, throat, and belly 

 light brownish yellow, densely i)unctulated with brown. Each labial 

 with a darker spot in the center. Fewer punctulations on the urosteges. 



This form differs from the typical G. imperialis not only in its very 

 narrow dorsal stripe, but normally has onl}^ seven superior labials. This 

 character is, however, inconstant, and it is probably best to look upon 

 the form as a subspecies of the C imperialis. 



