POISONOUS SNAKES OF NORTH AMERICA. 5G3 



very slightly uotclied tor the vertical [froiitalj. Seven labiuls above; 

 posterior very small. 



The tbie part of the ho;ul is black, but the black, instead of passing 

 forward from the anterior part of the occi[)itals [parietals] to uear the 

 eye, and there leaving the three posterior labials yellow as in E.fulviuH 

 and E. tener, involves nearly the whole of the occipitals [parietals], and 

 passes backward entirely behind the angle of the mouth and involves 

 the whole of the lower jaw to behind the posterior labial, leaving 

 a broad euuirgination in the black on the occiput, in the bottom of 

 which emargination are seen the white posterior tips of the occipitals 

 [parietals]. 



Behind this is a creamy- white ring (probably yellow in life), which is 

 situated more posteriorly than in E.fulvius, and involves only the i)OS- 

 terior tip of the occipitals [parietals] and nohe of the labials. Next 

 behind this white ring, instead of a black ring, as in tlie other si)ecies, 

 is a broad light brick-red one involving eleven scales. A creamy-white 

 ring three and a half scales wide separates tliis first red ring from a 

 black one eight scales in width. Behind this are alternate immaculate 

 black and red rings, seven or eight scales wide, and separated by white 

 rings three to three and a half scales in width. There are eleven black 

 and eleven red rings on the body, separated by twice as many white 

 ones. The tail is ringed with black and white without any red. All 

 the rings run entirely around the body of the same color and are wholly 

 without spots above or below. 



Number of ventrals (gastrosteges), 215-241 ; of snbcaudals (uro- 

 steges), 21-29. 



GeoyrapMcal distribution. — This species is yet so little known that its 

 distribution can only be mapped out in a preliminary manner. It 

 belongs to the "Lower Sonoran" ])rovince, but seems restricted to the 

 regions east of the great Colorado Kiver and west of the Continental 

 Divide. It has been found as far north as Fort Whipple and at various 

 places in southern Arizona, extending south into Mexico at least as far 

 south as Batopilas, in the State of Chihuahua, in the intericu', and to 

 (ruaymas, Sonora, on the Gulf of California. 



In Arizona it reaches an altitude above the sea of at least 5,000 feet. 



Habita. — Absolutely unknown. 



THE PIT VIPERS. 



Fiimily (M^otalik.k. 



''Pit Viper" is a "book name" meant to include the Rattlesnakes, 

 Moccasins, Copperheads, etc., but unlike man}' others it is a most excel- 

 lent one, for not only does it indicate the relationship of these snakes 

 to the true vipers, but it also contains a reference to the remarkable 

 character which at once distinguishes them both from the vipers and 

 from all other snakes as well. 



