Hurter — Herpetology of Missouri. 173 



two triangular dark spots on each ventral. The rest of the belly is 

 yellowish shaded dusky like the adults. Upper and lower labials and 

 chin shields yellow with blackish spots. Top of head light brown. 

 Size.— Total length 1700 mm. Tail 380 mm. 



Habitat. — From South Carolina to Florida, and west 

 of the Mississippi to Arkansas and Missouri in the Ozark 

 plateau. Missouri localities : — Jefferson, Wayne, Oregon, 

 Ozark, Stone, and Phelps Counties. 



Habits.— The Whip-Snake, as it is commonly called, is 

 rather rare in Missouri. It is exceedingly swift. They 

 occur on top of hills as well as in valleys. Their food 

 consists of small rodents, such as mice and rats, birds and 

 eggs. When annoyed they vibrate the tail rapidly, open- 

 ing the mouth partially. With the head raised some dis- 

 tance from the ground they strike viciously and repeat- 

 edly, but, on account of their short teeth, cannot inflict 

 serious wounds. In disposition it is much like the Blue 

 Racer. The species is oviparous. 



Genus pituophis. 



Maxillary teeth smooth, of equal length. A vertical laminiform epi- 

 glottis. Cephalic scuta normal, except that each prefrontal is longi- 

 tudinally divided into two, producing four prefrontals. Rostral plate 

 more or less prominent, and its superior angle produced upward and 

 backward between the internasals. Scales more or less keeled with 

 pits. Anal scuta entire; subcaudals in two series. Pupil round, large. 

 (Cope.) 



61. Pituophis sayi Schlegel. Bull Snake. Western Bull 

 Snake. Pine Snake. 



Pityophis sayi, Pityophis sayi sayi, Pityophis catenifer sayi, Coluber 

 sayi. 



Description. — Snout projecting. Rostral very high, wedged between 

 the internasals, sometimes reaching the prefrontals. Prefrontals 3 to 

 7. Frontal one and one-third to one and two-thirds as long as broad, 

 as long or a little longer than its distance from the rostral. Super- 

 ciliaries broad behind, narrow in front. Parietals broken up into 

 small plates posteriorly. Internasals rounded in front, separated by 

 the rostral. Nasals two, anterior larger, nostril mostly in the poste- 

 rior one. One loral, longer than deep, small. One preorbital, some- 

 times with a small one below. Two or three postorbitals and one or 



