GeHos STORERIA, B. & G, 



Storeria, Baird and Girard, 1853, tf, 135; Garraan, 1883, 13, 29, in 

 part 



Serpents of small size. Head distinct from the body. Tail only of 

 anoderate length. Crown-shields nine. No loral. One or two anteor- 

 Jbitals. Two or three postorbitals. Nasals two, >^ith the nostril ])e- 

 >twe€n. Scales keeled ; arranged in fifteen or seventeen rows. Anal 

 plate divided. 



Scales in seventeen rows, dekmji, p. 88. 



-Scales in fifteen rows. occipitomaettlata, p. 89. 



Storeria dekayi, (Holb.). 

 DeKai/s Snake. 



Tropidonotus dekaiji, Holbrook, 1842, 54-, iii, 53, pi. xiv ; Storeria dekmji, 

 Baird and Girard, 1853, 6, 135; Garman, 1883, 13, 31, pi. i. fig. 1. 



Head somewhat larger than the neck, flat above, and rather high. Ros- 

 ttral as high as wide. Snout projecting beyond the lower jaw. One an- 

 ;teorbital, high. No loral. Two, sometimes three, postorbitals. Upper la- 

 ibials seven ; eye over third and fourth. Lower labials seven ; fourth 

 :ajid fifth large. Scales distinctly keeled ; in seventeen rows. Ventrals 

 120 to 145 ; subcaudals 40 to 60, Tail one-fifth the total length. 



The color of the upper surface is yellowish or reddish-ash, brownish- 

 volive, or even chestnut. The middle of the back with a paler, clay-col- 

 tored, dusky-edged band, three or four scales wide. On each side of this 

 vertebral band is a row of brown or black dots about the length of two 

 jscales apart. These sometimes extend themselves and meet across the 

 <dorsal stripe. Occasionally the dots, and sometimes the band itself, are 

 ^wanting. In such cases the color above is uniform. Below the dots 

 anentioned, other dots are occasionally seen. The color of the lower 

 tsurface is whitish or yellowish in alcoholic specimens, but in life the 

 •color is often salmon or red. The ventrals with one or two dots of 

 jbrown at their outer ends. Plates of the head brownish, with some 

 minute dots. In highly colored specimens, there is a large brown spot 

 ijust behind the head on each side; another spot on side of head and 

 .across the corner of the mouth, and a small blotch under the eye. The 

 length of grown examples is from twelve to fifteen iuches. 



Distribution froiii Maine to the Mississippi Valley, and south to the 

 Crulf and to Mexico, Probably occurring in every township in Indiana. 

 Known localities are : AVheatland ( Ridgway) ; Lebanon (Nat. Mus.) ; 

 ]5few Harmony (Sampson's coll.); Harrison county (specimens from 



