REPTILES OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 163 



rarely one. Temporals one followed by two. Seven 

 superior and seven inferior labials, sixth upper and 

 fourth lower largest, third and fourth upper bordering 

 eye, first pair of lower meeting on median line behind 

 small triangular mental. Geneials in two pair, anterior 

 much larger than posterior. Scales on body smooth, in 

 fifteen rows. Anal plate divided. Gastrosteges vary- 

 ing in number from one hundred and fifty-one to one 

 hundred and eighty-six. Urosteges in two series of from 

 twenty-nine to fifty-two. Tail short, conical, ending in 

 a sharply pointed plate. 



The color above is grayish or yellowish brown, usually 

 very finely punctulated or reticulated with slate or black, 

 with or without a light yellowish or brownish line along 

 each side. The scales below these lines are sometimes 

 spotted with black. In very young specimens a contin- 

 uous black line along each side takes the 

 place of these spots, while a similar line 

 runs along the middle of the back. The 

 sides of the head show these lateral black lines more 

 or less distinctly. The tail is colored like the back, 

 except that its upper surface is sometimes suffused with 

 red. The lower surfaces are grayish or yellowish white, 

 transversely barred with black on the anterior half of 

 each gastrostege and (often) urostege. 



Length to ani:s 106 176 238 l40 299 330 



Length of tail 22 27 57 37 78 83 



Distribution. — This harmless little snake is common 

 among the redwoods of Santa Cruz (Big Basin) and San 

 Mateo (Woodside) Counties, California. It has been 

 found also in Santa Clara (San Jose), Alameda (Hay- 

 wards, Alameda), Marin, Sonoma (Petaluma), Mendo- 

 cino (Eel River Bridge), and Shasta Counties. Dr. 

 Yarrow has recorded it from Fresno. I have seen a 



