188 



Pituophis melanoleucus, (Daudiu.) 

 Eastern Bull-snake. Pine Snake. 



Colubei- melanoleueus, Daudin, 1802, 69, vi, 409 ; Pituophis vielanoleiicus, 

 Holbrook, 1842, 54, 7, pi. 1 ; Baird and Cirard, 1853, 6, 65. 



This suake has an Eastern and Southern range, but it has been re- 

 ported by Dr. W. H. Smith (IS, 688), on what authority I do not know, 

 to occur occasionally in the State of Ohio. It is possible, therefore, that 

 it may yet be found along our eastern border. Hence I give a description 

 of the species. 



The head is broad bejiind, pointed in front. Two pair of postfrontals, 

 an inner and an outer. Rostral narrow, rising to the inner postfrontals. 

 One auteorbital. Upper labials 7, the 4th entering the orbit. Lower 

 labials 13 or 14, the 5th and 6th largest. Scales in 27 to 29 rows, all 

 keeled except about 4 of the lower rows. Ventral plates 212 to 216 ; 

 subcaudals, about 60 pairs. 



The ground-color above is whitish. On the middle of the back there 

 is a series of about 30 large reddish brown blotches, all margined with 

 black. On the sides there are three or four series of irregular spots, more 

 or less indistinct. Posteriorly these unite into transverse bands, which 

 may alternate with the dorsal series or come opposite them. The abdo- 

 men is yellow, with a series of brown blotches on each end of the ventral 

 plates. The length may become five feet or more. 



Pituophis sayi, (Schleg.). 

 Western Bull-snake. Sai/s Pine Snake. 



Coluber sayi, Schiegel, 1837, Essai, ii, 157; Pituophis sayi, Baird and 

 Girard, 1853, 6, 152. 



This species is much more likely to be found in Indiana than the one 

 just described. In some parts of Illinois it was, in the past, quite abund- 

 ant, and it has been found well into the eastern part of that State. I 

 have no record of its occurring in Indiana, but it may be looked for along 

 the western border, especially northward, with confidence. 



It diflfers from melanoleucus, especially in its coloration. The S2:)ots 

 along the back are more numerous, being about 70 in number. The gen- 

 eral color, too, is darker, being reddish yellow or, on the back, chesnut 

 brown. The ventrals are also greater in number than in melanoleucus, 

 ranging from 220 to 240. 



']tenus TROPIDOCLONIUM, Cope. 



Tropidoclonium, Cope, 1860, 1, 76. 



Head little distinct from the body. Crown shields. 9. Loral present. 

 Nasal single, grooved below the nostril. Auteorbital 1. Postorbitals 2. 

 Scales in 19 rows; keeled. Anal plate entire. 



