90 OPHIBOLUS. 



Color above yellowish white; in life, bright red. The body is en- 

 circled by 24 pairs of black rings, (the 19th opposite the anus,) each 

 pair enclosing a yellow ring between them. Along the back the 

 black and yellow rings are nearly of equal width, the three covering 

 a length on the back of five or six scales. Anteriorly their intervals 

 are 8 or 9 scales long, posteriorly somewhat less. The black rings, 

 as they descend on the sides, separate somewhat, so as to leave an 

 interval of about three scales; they are also somewhat narrower 

 than above. On the abdomen they are generally interrupted, the 

 corresponding ends of the same ring sometimes meeting, and some- 

 times alternating. Occasionally there are scattered black blotches 

 on the belly between the pairs. The anterior black ring of the first 

 pair crosses the posterior part of the occipitals, extending across be- 

 tween the angles of the mouth. The head in front of this is red, 

 with a small black ring in the posterior half of the vertical. The 

 posterior edges of the labials are black. 



In a second smaller specimen from Mississippi, there are 17 pairs 

 of rings to the anus, and 4 on the tail. The whole head is black, 

 the first yellow interval beginning just back of the occipitals. 



Not having a specimen of 0. doliains from the Atlantic States, we 

 are in some uncertainty as to whether this be really the above species, 

 especially as it difi"ers somewhat from Dr. Holbrook's description. 

 Kemjjer Co., Miss. 208. 49. 21. 18f . 2-|. D. C Lloyd. 



Mississippi. 188. 50. 21. 8^. li. Dr. B. F. Shumard. 



/ 



9. OpIsiboIllS geiltilis, B. & G. — Muzzle more convex and acute 

 than in 0. doliatus. Body brownish red, encircled by about 25 pairs of 

 broad black rings enclosing a yellow ring : the yellow mottled with black 

 on the sides. Black rings broader than in 0. doliatus. Upper part of head 

 entirely black. 



Ground-color dull red, encircled by 25 pairs of black rings, the 

 21st opposite the anus, each pair enclosing a third ring of yellowish 

 white. The black rings are conspicuously broader above, the three 

 crossing eight scales on the vertebral row anteriorly, and towards the 

 anus about five. Anteriorly the intervals between successive pairs 

 consist of about five scales, posteriorly only of two or three, thus di- 

 minishing considerably. The black rings contract as they descend, 

 those of each pair receding slightly from each other, so as to cause 

 the yellow portion to expand about one scale. The black rings are 



