66 PITUOPHIS. 



sal series of very large blotches, of a deep chestnut-brown, broadly 

 margined with black anteriorly and posteriorly. These blotches are 

 24 in number from the head to opposite the anus, and 6 on the 

 tail, where they extend laterally down to the subcaudal scutell?e. 

 More or less confluent, and consequently irregular in shape on the 

 anterior third of the body, they are posteriorly subround or sub- 

 quadrate, emarginated in front and behind, and separated from each 

 other by a light space embracing four scales, whilst the blotches them- 

 selves cover six scales. The flanks are blotched but very irregularly; 

 on the anterior region of the body the blotches elongate in the shape 

 of longitudinal bands or vittse ; on the middle region three indistinct 

 series may be traced, alternating and often confluent by their corners ; 

 posteriorly there is only one series opposite to the dorsal, and often 

 confluent with it, so that the corresponding blotches form single 

 patches, extending from the back to the abdomen, and tapering on 

 the sides. The abdomen is dull yellow, with a series of distant 

 blackish brown patches along the extremity of the scutelLie, often 

 extending to the outer row of scales. 

 Carolina. 216. 60. 29. 55|. 8. (on dep.) Acad. Nat. So, 



2. PitlSOplsis bclloisa, B. & G. — Head elliptical, rather pointed. 

 Vertical plate very broad anteriorly. A second anterior vertical, small, and 

 subcoi'diform. Anteorbitals 2 ; postorbitals 4. Dorsal rows of scales 31-35; 

 the seven outer rows smooth. Tail about -,'j of total length. Head macu- 

 lated with black ; transverse frontal bar extending from one orbit to the 

 other, well marked ; the oblique postocular vitta rather narrow, and reach- 

 ing the angle of the mouth. Color of the body whitish yellow, sometimes 

 reddish yellow, with a dorsal series of deep black blotches, or of deep brown, 

 margined with black, 51 in number, from the head to the origin of the tail, 

 and a series of smaller spots on each sides. Ten transverse jet-black bars 

 on the tail. Flanks crowded with small and irregular blotches. Abdomen 

 dull yellow, maculated with black blotches more or less crowded. 



Syn. Churchillia bellona, B. & G. Reptiles in Slansbury's Expl. Valley 

 of Great Salt Lake, 1852, 350. 



rUuophis affinis, Hallow. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. VI, 1852, 181. 



Head broad behind, and well separated from the body by a con- 

 tracted neck, very much tapering to the end of the snout, subquad- 

 rangular from the eyes forwards. Upper surface flattened, snout 

 elevated and rounded. Occipital plates triangular, as broad anteri- 



