1176 



REPOKT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



bleacbed-looking C c. conflMentus, with a peculiarity in the dorsal 

 spots. These consist of a dark brown circumference only, the centers 

 difleriug little from the ground color. The bands and stripes on the 

 head are wanting or obsolete, the postorbital being faintly indicated. 

 Instead of these there are irregular blackish splotches more or less 

 confluent on the top of the head between the orbits and behind that 

 region. The tail bands are very distinct. 



Cat. No. 4617; rows of scales, 25; upper labials, 16; gastrosteges, 169; urosteges, 

 23; total length, 828 mm. (with rattle); length of tail, 97 mm. (with rattle); rattle, 

 48 mm. 



This subspecies agrees with the G. c. lucifer in the small size of the 

 scales which cover the head, but differs from it greatly in color. While 

 this forms the palest of the subspecies, the C. c. lucifer is the most 

 deeply colored, in agreement with the general law of Allen, namely, 

 that the pale types inhabit dry regions, and the dwellers in moist 

 climates are more heavily pigmented. 



Crotalua confluentus lecontei Hallowell. 



I have also specimens from Pyramid Lake, northwest Nevada, and 

 from Warners and Silver lakes, Oregon. These localities are all in 

 the dry and barren region of the Great Basin, on the eastern side. 



CROTALUS CONFLUENTUS LUCIFER Baird and Girard. 



Crotalus lucifer Baird and Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. (1853), p. 177, and 

 Catalogue, 1852, p. 6.— Girard, Herp. U. S. Expl. Exp., 1858, p. 187.— Baird, 

 U. S. Pacific R. R. Rept., X, Williamson's Report, 1859, p. 10,— Cooper and 

 SuOKLEY, Nat. Hist. Wash. Terr., 1859, p. 295. 

 Figures, U. S. Pac. R. R. Surv. Rept. Reptiles, Williamson's Rept. Reptiles, 

 pi. XI.— Girard, Herp. U. S. Expl. Exp!, pi. xv, figs. 1-6. 

 Head short, muzzle broad. Scales between the superciliaries numer- 

 ous, small, and uniform. Plates on top of head, four prefrontal, four 

 postfrontal, or else irregular. Three rows scales between the subor- 

 bitals and labials. Labials sixteen above, first and fifth largest; fif- 

 teen below. Dorsal rows twenty-five, exterior smooth, second and third 

 with obsolete carination. Tail and posterior i)ortion of body with 

 sixteen or seventeen half rings. A succession of brown dorsal hexa- 

 gons or octagons, separated throughout by a narrow lighter line. Light 

 stripe from superciliary crosses the angle of the mouth on the third 

 and fourth row above labial. 



Head very broad anteriorly, outline little tapering. Head above 

 covered with many small tuberculiform scales, showing a substelliform 

 radiation. Interval between superciliary plates filled with small scales, 

 nearly uniform in size; row bordering the superciliaries very small. 



