82 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [Jan.^ 



the loreal entering the orbit; post-ocular 1; temporals 1-1 (2); 

 13 rows of scales; ventrals 120-134; subcaudals 21-36. 



Length 310 mm. (tail one-sixth). 



Chestnut brown above, dark brown in adults: salmon color 

 beneath. 



AVestern specimens usually have but one temporal in the second 

 row, and vary a trifle in the extension of the belly color on the 

 sides; but as the species is a degraded and variable one, it does not 

 seem necessary to regard them as distinct. 



Hab. — NeAV England to Kansas and southward. 



FAEANCIA Gray. 



Zool. Misc., 68 (1842) ; B. and G., I. c, 123 ; Cope, I. c, G04, and Eep. 

 Nat. Mus., 740; Boul., I. c. , II, 290. 



Maxillary teeth smooth, subequal; one loreal; one internasal; 

 one nasal half divided; no preocular; scales smooth, without pits, 

 in 19 rows; anal divided; size moderately large; body cylindrical 

 and rigid; head not very distinct. 



Hab. — North America. 



Farancia abacura Holbrook. 



Coluher abacurus Holb., No. Am. Ilerp., I, 119, PI. 23 (183G) ; 

 Farancia abacura B. and G., I. c, 123 ; Cope, I. c, 604, and Kep. 

 NM- Mus., 741 ; Boul., I. c, II, 291. 



Head small and hardly distinct from the body; one internasal ; 

 one nasal, half divided; no preocular, the loreal and prefrontal 

 entering the orbit; post-orbitals 2; temporals 1-2; upper labials 

 7; 19 rows of scales; ventrals 168-206; subcaudals 34-49. Or- 

 dinary specimens are about 1,000 mm. long, but it reaches 1,400 

 (tail one-sixth to one-seventh). 



Bluish black above with vertical red spots on the sides ; belly 

 red in life. 



Hab. — North Carolina to Louisiana; possibly in Virginia. 



ABASTOR Gray. 



Cat. Snakes Br. Mus., 78 ; B. and G., I. c, 125 ; Cope, /. c, 603 ; Boul., 

 I. c, II, 289. 



Maxillary teelh smooth, subequal; oue loreal; two internasals; 

 one nasal, half divided below the nostril; no preocular; scales 

 smooth, without pits, in 19 rows; anal divided; size moderate; 

 head not distinct; body cylindrical and rigid. 



Hab. — North America. 



