Hurter — Herpetology of Missouri. 195 



Habitat. — The Worm Snake is distributed from Massa- 

 chusetts to Georgia, west to Arkansas, Missouri, and Kan- 

 sas. Missouri localities: — St. Louis, Jefferson, Butler, 

 Oregon, Jackson, Montgomery, and St. Charles Counties. 



Habits. — The Worm Snake may be common in some 

 localities, but it is seldom seen wandering about. It is 

 found mostly under rocks and decayed logs, under accum- 

 ulations of damp leaves and mouldy deposits. It is often 

 uncovered in plowing. It feeds upon earth worms and 

 grubs. Mr. C. H. Danforth informed me that a specimen 

 of Carphophis had swallowed a small Diadophis, which 

 he had put together in a can. The species is oviparous, 

 laying a small number of eggs (five), which are about SO 

 mm. long and about 7 mm. in diameter. 



Dates of capture.— March 23 ; May 2, 4, 19 ; July 4, 19 ; 

 November 4. 



Subfamily Boiginae. 



Hypapophyses present throughout the vertebral column, represented 

 on the posterior dorsal vertebral by a more or less developed crest 

 or tubercle projecting below the condyle. 



Genus tantilla. 



Maxillary teeth small, equal, twelve to fourteen, followed by a pair 

 of feebly enlarged grooved teeth, situated below the posterior border 

 of the eye. Mandibular teeth equal. Head small, not, or but slightly 

 distinct from the neck. Bye small, with a round pupil. No loral 

 shield. Body cylindrical, scales smooth, without pits, in 15 rows. Ven- 

 trals rounded. Tail moderate or short. Subcaudals in two rows. 

 Southern North America, Central and Tropical South America. 



78. Tantilla gracilis Baird and Girard. Graceful Tan- 

 tilla. 



Tantilla coronata, Homalocranium gracile, Tantilla hallowellii. 



Description. — Rostral large, a little broader than high. Nasals two, 

 nostril in the posterior margin of the prenasal. No loral. Anteor'bital 

 one, postorbital one. Postnasal sometimes separated from the pre- 

 ocular by the prefrontal. Frontal longer than broad. Temporals 1-1. 

 Upper labials six, third and fourth entering the eye, fifth the largest. 



