54 



CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



large subocular plate. Ear-opening large, oblique, with 

 very slight anterior denticulation. Supraoculars, tem- 

 porals, and gulars subgranular. Lower labials a little 

 larger than upper, bordered below by several series of 

 plates larger than gulars. Symphyseal plate large, fol- 

 lowed by a pair of large shields. One or two gular folds, 

 continued on sides of neck. Back and sides covered 

 with small granules, which pass gradually into larger, 

 smooth, fiat scales on belly. Sides irregularly plicate. 

 Tail tapering, nearly twice as long as head and body, 

 and furnished with whorls of small, smooth plates. 

 Femoral pores varying in number from sixteen to twenty- 

 two in each series. Males with enlarged postanal plates. 



( 



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r^""^ 



'P^-^' 



The general color is greenish, bluish, olive, grayish, 

 or pale brown, variously dotted, blotched, reticulated, 

 and cross-lined with pale gray or white. Two parallel 

 oblique bands of intense black or very dark brown cross 

 the shoulders, but often do not meet on the nape. The 

 tail sometimes bears large brown spots. The head is 

 irregularly spotted and reticulated laterally and inferior- 



