SYNOPSES AND DESCRIPTIOXS. 65 



Scarlet in life, reddish-yellow in alcohol, with 20 — 25 pairs of narrow 

 black rings, those of each pair separated by a yellow band. The space 

 between the pairs is nearly equal to that occupied by the pair and the 

 included yellow. The black rings diA^erge and become narrow toward the 

 belly, which in cases they do not cross. Occasionally the rings of different 

 pairs unite on the abdomen. The first pair is incomplete, and does not 

 encircle the nock, the anterior ring crosses the hinder extremity of the 

 parietals, and commonly sends forward on the frontal an oblong or square 

 extension, it stops at the angle of the mouth. The yellow rings widen on 

 the ventral surface. Southeastern States. 



Var. ELAPSOIDEUS. 



Loreal shield absent. Southeastern States. 



Ophibolus triangulus, pi. V, f(j. 1. 



Coluber Triangulum Bok, 1827, Im, 537. 



Moderately stout, subcylindrical ; head small, little broader than the neck, 

 depressed, crown slightly convex, snout comparatively broad; tail short, 

 one sixth to one seventh of the total. Eye small, over the third and 

 fourth labials, pupil round. Mouth-cleft deep, not much curved. Crown- 

 shields nine, broad. Frontal broader anterioi'ly. Internasals small. Pre- 

 frontals bent down on the sides of the head. Rostral broader than high, 

 convex. Nasal in two parts, nostril between. Loreal low. Oculars 1 — 2, 

 lower small. Temporals 2-f 2 to 3. Labials seven, posterior three larger. 

 Infralabials nine (9 — 10), fifth large. Submentals two pairs. Scales 

 smooth, lozenge-sha^jcd, ends rounded, in 21 rows, outer as broad as long. 

 Ventrals 200 — 215 (185 — 215). Anal entire. Subcaudals 45 — 55 pairs. 



Brownish-yellow (more or less red in life), greyish on the flanks, with 

 broad black-edged blotches of reddish-brown or brownish-red. The yellow 

 separating the dorsal series is narrower than the blotches, and widens 

 toward the flank, where in most varieties it bifurcates, and with the opj^o- 

 site band surrounds a medium-sized, light-centered blotch. Occasionally 

 there are two series of alternating blotches on the flank. Belly yellowish, 

 with quadrate black blotches, often more black than yellow. Back of 



Mem. — VOL. ii — 5 



