REPTILES OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 159 



47. — Chilomeniscus ephippicus Cope. Burrowing 

 Snake. 



Chilomeniscus ephippicus, Cope, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1867, 

 p. 85 (tj'pe locality Owen's Valley, California); Coues, Surv. 

 W. 100th Mer., y, 1875, p. 625, pi. XVIII, tigs. 3, .3a. 



Description.^ — " Scales broad, in thirteen rows; tail 

 about one-seventh total length. Rostral plate large^ 

 entirely separating internasals [anterior nasals], not 

 encroaching on prefrontals; [posterior] nasal plate sep- 

 arating prefrontals and labials, in contact with pre- 

 ocular. Postoculars two, upper only in contact with 

 occipital [parietal]. Superciliaries [supraoculars] very 

 narrow^, occipitals [parietals] broad as long. Temporals 

 I [1 + 1] large. Labials above, seven, third and fourth 

 in orbit, these with second, narrow erect; first longitu- 

 dinal; fifth and sixth smaller than the others, seventh 

 suddenly larger. Inferior labials eight, first pair in 

 contact before pregenials; postgenials very small. Gas- 

 trosteges 113, separated from geneials by four rows 

 gulars; anal 1-1; urosteges 28-28. 



" Above reddish or yellowish, with twenty-one black 

 cross-bars to vent, which are broader than interspaces, 

 and do not quite reach gastrosteges; five nearly complete 

 rings on tail. Belly white. From occipitals [parietals] 

 to anterior part frontal with the labials opposite this 

 part (except their lower edges) black. 



" Total length five and one-half inches." 



Distribution. — The only Californian locality at which 

 this snake has been taken is Owen's Valley, Inyo Coun- 

 ty. It has been found in Arizona. 



Genus 25. CHIOWACTIS. 



Chionactis, Cope, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil., 1860, p. 241 (type occipi- 

 tale). 



The body is small but not very slender, with short, 



♦OrigiDal description by Cope. 



