Q-l PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [Jan., 



1 Mr. Boulenger considers this form identical with Coluber plani- 



ceps Blain. ; the type of that species, however, came from 'Lower 



California, and there is no proof that nigriceps extends west even 



to California proper. Van Denburg doe^ not mention it 'as an 



inhabitant of the State, and the evidence of its 'presence even in 



Arizona is not of the best. 



Hab. — Texas and New ^Mexico; possibly Arizona. 



Tantilla gracilis B. and G. 



I.e., 132; Cope, ?. f., 598, and Rep. Nat. Mus., 1111; //. gracilis 

 Boul., I. c, III, 228. 



Size small; post-nasal occasionally .separated from preocnlar by 

 prefrontal; oculars 1-1 ; temporals 1-1; upper labials 6; 15 [rows 

 of scales; ventrals 112-137; subcaudals 41-51. Length 215 

 mm. (tail 43_). 



Reddish or greenish brown above, some scales speckled with 

 darker; belly salmon color in life; top of head dark brown; 

 labials yellowish brown. Through the courtesy of Mr. JuUus 

 Hurter, of St. Louis, the Zoological Society has lately received 

 five living specimens of this little snake, taken by him in Jefferson 

 county, Mo. 



Hab — Missouri to Texas. 



ELAFS Schneider. 



Hist. Amph., II, 289 (1801); B. and G., I. c, 21 ; Cope, I. c, 679, and 

 Rep. Nat. Mus., 1119; Boul., I. c. III, 411. 



A pair of large, perforated poison fangs in front; no other max- 

 illary teeth; no loreal; 2 iuteruasals; 2 nasals; pupil vertical, 

 elliptical; scales smooth, without pits, in 15 rows; anal divided; 

 subcaudals single or double, or both; body cylindrical; head not 

 very distinct; tail short. 



Hab. — jSorth and South America. 



The snakes of this genus are beautifully ringed with black, re 

 and yellow in varying proportions. All are venomous and 

 structurally related to the cobras. Several species of harmless 

 snakes so nearly resemble them in color, especially the red and 

 yellow-ringed forms of Ophlbolus doliatas, that novices in herpe- 

 tology should beware of handling living specimens presenting these 

 colors, until assured that they are not dealing with an Elaps. 

 There arc some twenty-five known specie.*, extending from South 

 Carolina to Brazil, two only being found within the United States.' 



