COPPERHEAD. 675 
Genus ANCISTRODON. Beanuvois. 
Cephalic region covered with nine large plates arranged as in Colubride ; vertical and super- 
Ciliaries on a line with the eye, occipitals farther back; anteorbitals two, elongated 
longitudinally ; nasals two; loral present, excluded from the the orbit; head flattened, 
triangular; dorsal scales in 23 rows, carinated ; tail rather short, tapering to a point, 
and without rattle; urosteges divided posteriorly. 
ANCISTRODON CONTORTRIX Linnzus. 
Copperhead. 
Boa contortriz, LINNZUS, GMELIN. 
Agkistrodon moxkason, BEAUVOIS. 
Cenchris contoririx, DAUDIN. 
Cenchris mokeson, HARLAN. 
Scytalus cupreus, RAFINESQUE, HARLAN. 
: Toxicophis, TROOST. 
Trigonocephalus cenchris, SCHLEGEL. 
Trigonocephalus contoririx, HOLBROOK, HALLOWELL, KIRTLAND, DeKay, DUMERIL and 
BIBRON. 
Ancistrodon contortrix, BAIRD and GIRARD, COPE, ALLEN. 
Copper-colored above, brighter upon the flanks; reddish-brown transverse bands upon 
the back, about 16 in number, dilated upon the sides; rounded spots of a similar color 
between these bands; lateral blotches from 30-38, varying from round to sub-quadrate, 
dusky ; beneath palecupreous; postorbital plates two, continuous under the eye with two 
small infraorbitals; superciliaries broad and long; vertical slightly longer than the 
occipitals, the latter notched posteriorly ; labials, 8 above, 9 below; inframixillaries 
small; gastrosteges, 150-155 ; urosteges, 40-50; tail terminating in a horny point, the 
analogue of the rattle in the Cretalide. Length, 29 inches; head, 13 inches; tail, 34 
General color grayish ash, vertebral blotches varying from circular to triangular or 
elliptical, from 37 to 45 in number, each with a yellow border; a reddish-purple verte- 
bral line extendin g from head to tail through the blotches; lateral blotches in two or 
three series; nape with a grayish to yellowish longitudinal band, with a black blotch 
on each side anteriorly; a narrow line of white extends from the angle of the mouth to 
the eye; vertical plate irregularly sub-hexagonal; labials, 10-11 on a side above, 11-12 
below ; anteorbitals two, elongated longitudinally ; loral one on each side; nasals two; 
rostral large, irregular, urn shaped, smallest above; dorsal scales in 23 rows; gastros- 
teges, 130-140; urosteges, 30-40, usually not well marked. Length, 17 inches; head, % 
inch ; tail, 2 inches; transverse diameter of head, 4 inch; of neck, 3-16 inch; circum- 
ference of body, 2 inches. 
Habitat, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Lonisiana, and Arkansas. 
DeKay records this species in Michigan, on what authority I am unable to determine. 
If it is a resident of that State it will doubtless yet be found in Ohio. However, its ex- 
treme southern range leads me to believe that its reference tothe fauna of Michigan is 
a mistake, and that it probably does not occur within our limits. 
