REPTILES OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 213 



Description. — Head distinct from neck, flat-topped, 

 with very narrow, rounded snout and temporal regions 

 not infrequently swollen. Rostral large, bounded be- 

 hind by internasal, anterior nasal, and first labial 

 plates. Plates on top of head, a pair of internasals, a 

 pair of prefrontals, a frontal, supraocular of each side, 

 and a pair of parietals. Anterior and posterior nasals 

 distinct. One loreal. One or two or three preoculars 

 and three postoculars. Temporals one followed by two 

 or three. Eight (rarely seven) superior and ten infe- 

 rior labials, sixth in each series largest, fourth and fifth 

 superior reaching eye, first pair of inferior meeting on 

 median line. Two pair of geneials, posterior much 

 longer than anterior. Scales on body in twenty-one, or 

 rarely nineteen, rows. Anal plate not divided. Gas- 

 trosteges varying in number from one hundred and fifty- 

 nine to one hundred and seventy-three. Urosteges in 

 two series of from sixty-eight to eighty-five. Eye large. 



The ground color is grayish brown or olive marked, 

 in young specimens, with numerous black spots which 

 usually disappear with age. The dorsal line is almost 

 always absent, or represented by 

 a yellow spot or short line on 

 the neck, but in some specimens 

 extends to the tail. The lateral 

 lines are either distinct or blend- 

 ed with the color of the belly. Black spots are frequently 

 present on the first row of scales and tips of the gastro- 

 steges. The top of the head is olive, with a yellow 

 pineal spot on the line between the parietal plates. 

 Dark nuchal blotches are present. The lower surfaces 

 are whitish or grayish yellow, sometimes barred with 

 black between the plates, and rarely with a slight cen- 

 tral shading of slate posteriorly. 



