Reptile:^ and Aniphibians of Illinois. 'lUl 



under side of the head the color is uniform yellow, and this 

 color occupies the middle of the scutellae for some distance be- 

 hind the head. Labials mostly yellow, some of them with faint 

 dusky margins. 



Total length, 64.50; tail, 10. 



Throughout the State. Most abundant in southern Illi- 

 nois. Rushville, (lalesburg, McLean county, Mt. Carmel 

 (J. Schneck), Union county. 



Variety obsoletus. 



Dorsal scales in twenty-five to twenty-nine rows. Ven- 

 trals 231-239. Subcaudals 76-85. Color above black or 

 brown, sometimes with a gray ground color and black or brown 

 dorsal and lateral spots. Beneath dark slate-gray posteriorly, 

 becoming paler forward. 



Variety lindheimeri. 



Dorsal scales in twenty-nine rows. Ventrals 217-234. 

 Subcaudals 72-85. Ground color gray, narrowly separating 

 dorsal and lateral black or brown blotches. 



Southern Illinois. 



With material representing this species from various local- 

 ities in the State, I find it impossible to separate the variety 

 confinis from obsoletus. A complete series may be selected con- 

 necting the darkest with the palest individuals of the species. 

 The rows of dorsal scales vary from twenty-five to twenty- 

 seven in both black and light-colored examples. This is a fine 

 large species which bears a superficial resemblance to the com- 

 mon black snake (Coluber constrictor) and this latter species is 

 occasionally credited with traits which belong to the pilot 

 snake. The pilot snake is said to climb trees in search of birds' 

 nests as does the true black snake. Dr. J. Schneck, of Mt. 

 Carmel, in a note to the American Naturalist for 1880, states 

 that one of the forms of this species has the habit of moving the 

 tail rapidly when excited, and thus producing a buzzing sound. 

 Mr. Chas. Aldrich makes a similar statement concerning an- 

 other form which he collected in Iowa. 



