258 Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History. 



small postnasal. Two loreals, the anterior the smaller and 

 separating the supranasals and prefrontals. Supralabials nine, 

 the eighth largest, the sixth alone reaching the orbit. Six in- 

 fralabials, the sixth largest. 



Color above dark chestnut-brown or, in old examples, brown- 

 olive with five longitudinal blue stripes, the median of which 

 bifurcates at the base of the head and the outer on each side 

 extends through the ear forward on the upper lip. Posterior 

 half of the tail blue or bluish slate-color. Lines often obscure, 

 sometimes wanting. Beneath white or pale bluish. 



Length of body to vent, 3.19; tail beyond vent, 5.50. 



Common in the southern counties of the State, rare else- 

 where; probably does not now occur in northern Illinois. 

 Cook Co. (Kennicott); Cobden; Anna; Dug Hill, Union Co.; 

 Johnson Co.; Cairo. 



In large specimens a few strias occur on each of the dorsal 

 scales. The submentals and anals are in some finely reticulate. 

 The ventral scales present an appearance of striation, but 

 with a lens this is seen to be due to fine dark lines radiating 

 from the basal part of the scale. Very old examples of this 

 species represent the Scincus erythrocephalus of Gilliams. This 

 form is commonly known as the red-headed scorpion in south- 

 ern Illinois, and has been mistaken for Eiimeces ohsoletus^ a 

 species which does not occur in Illinois. As illustrating the 

 changes which take place in this species with age, the follow- 

 ing examples are given: 



1. Total length 4.50 inches. Stripes distinct. Head like 

 the back in color. Width of head equal to distance 

 from tip of snout to anterior margin of the interpari- 

 etal plate. 



2. 5.50 inches long. Stripes distinct. Head paler brown 

 anteriorly than elsewhere. Width of head equal to 

 distance from snout to middle of interparietal. 



3. 6.25 inches long. Stripes less distinct. Head reddish 

 brown. Width slightly greater than distance from 

 snout to middle of interparietal. 



