OPHIBOLUS. 85 



numerous posteriorly. Skin between the scales brown. The plates 

 on the top and sides of the head have each a yellowish blotch ; the 

 labials are yellow, with black at their junction. 

 Prairie Mer Rouge, La. 21Q). b'2. 21. 42.5. Jas. Fairie. 



Other specimens agree except in having bright yellow instead of 

 white as described ; the spots too are rather smaller, and manifest a 

 slight tendency to aggregation on adjacent scales, so as to form trans- 

 verse bands. This is seen more decidedly where the back is crossed 

 by about 70 short dotted yellow lines ; the 56th opposite the anus. 

 The scales between have very obsolete spots of lighter, scarcely dis- 

 cernible. The sides are yellow, with black spots corresponding to 

 the dorsal lines ; indeed, there may be indistinctly discerned two or 

 three lateral series of alternating blotches. 



Kemper Co., iViss. 211. 52. 21. 47J. 6^. D. C. Lloyd. 



" 9|. — " 



In larger specimens from the West, this tendency in the spots to 

 aggregation is still more distinct. The back is crossed by these 

 dotted lines of the number and relation indicated, at intervals of four 

 or five scales ; the spots on the intervening space being obsolete. 

 These lines bifurcate at about the 9th outer row, the branches con- 

 necting with those contiguous, so as to form hexagons, and these ex- 

 tending towards the abdomen again, decussate on about the third 

 outer row, thus enclosing two series of square dark spots on each 

 side. These lateral markings are, however, not very discernible, 

 owing to the confusion produced by the greater number of yellow 

 spots. On the edge of the abdomen are dark blotches, one opposite 

 each dorsal dark space, the centres of the scutellae being likewise 

 blotched, but so as rather to alternate with those just mentioned. 



Specimens from Indianola exhibit all varieties of coloration. 

 Fed River, Ark. 224. 49. 21. 33|. 8f . Capts. Marcy & McClellan. 

 Indianola. 213.50.21. 39^.41. Col. J. D. Graham. 



4. Opliibolus g'etulus, B. & G. — Black, crossed by about 30 nar- 

 row continuous yellow lines, which bifurcate on the flanks, the very obtuse 

 angles embracing on each side a series of very much elongated patches, and 

 in fact, by the union of the branches with each other, dividing the back into 

 a succession of large black hexagons. 



