20 TOXICOPHIS. 



lei with the first stripe, crosses the angle of the mouth at the 7th 

 labial, and meets the first stripe on the side of the neok, where it is 

 confluent with the yellowish white of the throat. On the lower 

 labial are three short, nearly vertical light bars, on the 4th, 6th, 

 and 7th; the rest of the jaw itself, as well as the interval between 

 the stripes on the sides of the head, dark purplish brown, of which 

 color is also the space in front and below the eyes. General color 

 above dull dark chestnut-brown. On each side a series of 20 or 30 

 narrow vertical purplish black bars, one or two scales wide. Of 

 these, sometimes two contiguous to each other on the same side are 

 united above into an arch, enclosing a space, the centre of which is 

 rather duskier than the ground-color ; at others, corresponding bars 

 from the opposite sides unite and form half rings, encircling the body. 

 Sometimes there is a lighter shade bordering the dark bars. Be- 

 neath black, blotched with yellowish white. 

 Prairie 31er Rouge. 140. 24 + 21. 25. 22t. 3 J. Jas. Fairie. 



2. Toxicopliis pug'iiax, B. & G. — No loral plate. Second labial 

 displaced ; 25 dorsal rows. Above olive-brown, with narrow transverse 

 dark zigzag bars. Cheeks uniform light colored. 



Greneral structure of the i)lates as in T. piscivorus. No loral. 

 Second labial pressed out of place, and with its apex alone on the 

 edge of the mouth. Scales of head smaller than in T. piscivorus. 

 Outline different. Lower edge of orbit bordered by parts of two 

 labials. 



General color above light olive-brown ; beneath yellowish, with a 

 series of indistinct square brown blotches on each side ; chin and throat 

 unspotted. Tail entirely black. A series of transverse dark brown 

 zigzag lines are seen crossing the back, involving the entire surface 

 of single scales; these lines are broken up more or less, so as to 

 render the definition of pattern very diflacult. Sometimes the band 

 will be indicated merely by a few dark scales on the middle of the 

 back; at others it may be traced to the blotches on the abdomen. 

 Of these blotches there are about 30 from head to anus. The inter- 

 vals between the bands are much larger than the bands themselves, 

 being from 3 to 6 scales in length. No indication of a dark patch 

 behind the eye, but the cheeks appeaf yellowish brown, brighter on 

 the labials. 



Indianola, Tex. 145. 21 + 21. 25. 36J. 5f . Col. J. D. Graham. 



