APPENDIX B. 153 



tiou an exterior pair of postfrontals, are the characters which load us 

 to this belief. Its generic affinities, however, cannot be determined 

 without specimens in hand. The smooth scales would militate 

 against the supposition of its being a Pituopliis. 



5. Coluber (Ophis) Califoriiiae, Blainv. — "Yellow, lighter be- 

 neath, darker above, with six longitudinal bands more or less effaced, and 

 more or less anastomosed, of a black color, the upper ones broader and often 

 united." 



Syn. Coluher [Ophis) Californix, Blainv. Ann. Mus. d'Hist. Nat. Ill, 1834, 

 60. PI. xxvii. figs. 1, 1 a, 1 b. 



"Body of ordinary form and medium length; head proportionally 

 large, depressed ; snout short and obtuse. Tail rather short, conical, 

 and pointed. Nostrils lateral, oval, between the two nasal plates, 

 contiguous to the frontals. Eyes of medium size, lateral. Cephalic 

 plates. Two prefrontals and two postfrontals ; one loral; one ante- 

 orbital and two postorbitals. Scales rather small, lozenge-shaped, 

 imbricated, and perfectly smooth." 



California. M. Botta. 



6. Coluber (Zacliolus) zonattlS, Blainv. — " Reddish white, en- 

 tirely annulated with deep black, with two half-rings of the same color on 

 the head." 



Syn. Coluber [Zacholus) zonatua, Blainv. Nouv. Ann. Mus. d'Hist. Nat. 

 Ill, 1834, 61. 



" Body cylindrical, back depressed, subcarinated, suddenly attenu- 

 ated posteriorly, and but slightly anteriorly. Head small, tetragonal, 

 with an obtuse and thick snout ; tail short, small, and very much 

 tapering, about ^ of total length. Nostrils lateral, large, infundi- 

 buliform, in the midst of the two nasal plates. Eyes large and late- 

 ral. Mouth deeply cleft ; anus very far back. Cephalic plates : 

 two prefroutals and two postfrontals j one loral, very small ; one 

 anteorbital and two postorbitals, very small. Scales rather large, 

 rbomboidal, subirabricated, increasing in size from the back towards 

 the sides, subconvex and perfectly smooth." 

 California. — M. Botta. 



