360 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1893. 



1859. — Elaps /our, Baiki>, U. 8. Mex. Honud. Siirv., ii, Kept., p. 15. — Gunther, 

 Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1859, p. 86. 



1875. — Elaps fulvius, subspecies /w/rniv, (JoPK, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mua., No. 1, p. 34. 



1875. — Elaps fill riu8, subspecies tencr, Cope, Hull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 1, p, 34. 



188S.— Elaps fulrius fiilviua, Yarkow, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 24, p. 81. 



1883 —Elaps fulriua tener, Yarrow, Bull. U, S. Nat. Mue,, No. 24, p. 81. 



1883. — Elaps fulvius, var. tener, Garman, N. Am. Ophid., p. 169. 



Figures. Audubon, Birds, i (pi. xliv). — Holbrook, N. Am. Herpet., 1 ed., ii, 

 pi. XVIII (1838); 2 ed., iii, pi. x (1812).— Baird, U. S. Mex. Bound. Surv., 

 ji, Rept., pi. VII ; tig. 1 (1859). — Baird, Pac. K. R. Rept., x, pi. xxv, tig. 15 

 (1859). — Matthes, Deukscb. Ges. Isis., 1860, pi. — , tigs. 1-5. — .Ian, Iconogr 

 Ophid., livr. 42, pi. ii, fig. 2(1872).— Bocourt, Miss. Scieutif. Mcxique, Kept., 

 livr. 4, pi. xxiii (1874).— Garman, N. Am. Opbid., pi. viii, tig. 3 (1883).— 

 Yarrow, in Buck's Kef. Haudb. Med. Sc, vi, p. 167, fig.— (1888). 



Description.* — The red may be considered as the ground color of the 

 body, though the black rings occupy nearly as much space above as 

 the red, so as to give the general appearance of succession of red and 

 black rings. The yellow is intermediate. The anterior part of the 

 head from the posterior point of the vertical plate [frontal] embracing 

 the orbits is black, as is also the tip of the lower jaw. A yellow ring- 

 passes across the occipital [parietal] re- 

 gion down to the inferior surface of the 

 head, embracing the space between the 

 posterior rim of the eye and the angle of 

 the mouth. Then comes a black ring, 

 covering 8 dorsal scales, margined poste- 

 "pj^ ^ * p. y riorly with yellow. From this region to 



HEAD OF ELAPS FULVIUS. thc origiu of tlic tall, thc black and red 



Shown from top and side. ^- ^ ^^ ^ ^(^ j^^ number each, alter- 



(From Hnird. ) » ' 



nate, being separated from each other by 

 a narrow band of yellow. The black rings cover 7 entire scales, and 2 

 halves; the intermediate red space 5 entire scales and 2 halves, and the 

 yellow either 1 and 2 half scales or 2 halves only. Some red spaces may 

 occasionally cover and 10 scales. The tail.is alternately black and yel- 

 low ; the first caudal ring is black and embraces 10 scales ; the second is 

 yellow and coveis 3 scales. Two black and 2 yellow succeed and cover 

 the same ground. The tip of the tail is black on 5 scales. The tip may be 

 either black or yellow, for according to the size there are either 3 or 4 

 black rings. Underneath the colors are the same bnt dull ; occasionally 

 one or more black rings may not surround the body. The reddish 

 spaces are irregularly blotched with deep black as also sometimes on the 

 upper surface. 



Number of ventrals [gastrosteges], 202-237 ; of sub-caudals [uro- 

 stegesj, 25-45. 



Variation. — The tyjiical form of Elaps fulvius occupies the south- 

 eastern States, including Florida. Further west there is a slight 



*By C. Girard in Baird and Girard's Cat.ilogne of North American Reptiles in the 

 Museum of the Smitlisoniau Institution, Part i. — Serpents, 1853, ]). 21. 



