Reptiles and Amphibians of Illinois. 805 



keeled above, with sliarp anterior margin. Azygos plate 

 minute, surrounded by small plates which separate the interna- 

 sals from the nostril. Prefrontals small, separated by small 

 intervening plates. Nostril large, valvular, in posterior part of 

 nasal. Two or three loreals. From ten to thirteen small oculars, 

 with the supraocular encircling the eye. Supralabials eight, 

 sixth largest. Infralabials ten to thirteen. Submentals short. 

 Dorsal rows twenty-three to twenty-seven. About 146 ven- 

 trals. Subcaudals about 40. 



Color above yellowish brown, with a dorsal and two or three 

 smaller lateral series of brown spots. Beneath yellowish, more 

 or less blotched with squarish black marks, these sometimes 

 giving the prevailing color. Throat and neck uniformly pate 

 beneath. A brown band extends from orbit to orbit, arching 

 slightly forward. Behind this a pair of bars, one on each side, 

 extend from the upper posterior rim of the orbit toward the 

 middle line. A wide brown band extends from the eye to the 

 angle of the mouth. Wide bands extend from the parietals 

 downward and backward on each side of the neck; a short 

 band on the middle line meets them at the posterior margin of 

 the parietals. 



Total length of small Illinois example, 7.62; tail, 1. 



Rare in Illinois. Pekin. 



A^ariety simus. 



About thirty-five spots in the dorsal series. Dorsal scales 

 in twenty-five rows. From five to eight small plates about the 

 azygos. Frontal plate as broad as long. 



Credited to Illinois by Davis and Rice. 



Variety nasicus. 



About fifty spots in the dorsal series. Dorsal scales in 

 twenty-three rows. Azygos encircled by many small plates. 

 Vertical plate slightly broader than long. 



The only example of the species in the collection of the 

 State Laboratory represents this variety. 



