404 



KANSAS UNIVERSITY SCIENCE BULLETIN. 



Rhinochilus lecontei Baird and Girard. 



Le Conte's Snake. 



Rhinnehilus lecontei Baird and Girard, Cat. N. Amer. Rept., Pt. I, Serp., 

 1853, p. 120; Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phiia., 18(3(3, p. 301; Boulenger, 

 Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus., II, 1891, p. 212. 



Fig. 26. 

 Bhicochilus lecontei B. and G. 



^ Parietals about as wide as long. Frontal short, broad ante- 

 riorly, with lateral margins concave. Superciliaries narrow in 

 front, broad behind. Prefrontals hexagonal, broader than 

 long. Internasals broad, pointed at the median line. Rostral 

 large, projecting, extending far between internasals. Two 

 nasals, nostril between them. One preocular, above fourth 

 labial. Two postoculars, the inferior edge of the lower in a 

 notch between the hfth and sixth labials. Temporals 2-3. 

 Upper labials eight, sixth and seventh largest. Lower labials 

 eight or nine, fifth largest. Scales smooth, in twenty-one to 

 twenty-three rows. Two pairs of genials, posterior pair very 

 small. Anal entire. Gastrosteges in one series ; occasionally 

 two series near the tip of the tail. Gastrosteges 190-212- 

 Urosteges 40-55. 



About thirty quadrate black blotches on the body, twelve on 

 the tail. Brick red between the blotches for six or seven rows 

 of scales on the back. The lateral scales of the black spots 

 have white or yellowish centers. The lateral scales between 

 the black spots have black centers. Belly white or yellowish. 

 Every fourth or fifth gastrostege has a black spot at the end. 

 Head, in front of the eyes, reddish brown. Top of liead black, 

 each plate maculated v.'ith yellowish or reddish spots. Posterior 

 upper labials with black borders. Fifth and sixth lower 

 labials with borders partially black. First two temporals 

 brick red. 



One specimen, from Clark county, is in the Kansas University 



