CROTALOPHORUS KIRTLANDI.—Holbrook. 
Plate VI. 
Cuaracters. Body above black, relieved in places by dusky-brown, and 
marked with a series of light brown rings on the back, and vertical lines of 
similar colour on the flanks, hardly visible in old animals.—Pl. 152. Caud. Pl. 
27. Bifid Pl. 2. 
Description. The head is large, sub-triangular, broad behind, narrow and 
truncated in front, and covered with large plates above to the occiput, behind 
which are small scales. These plates so nearly resemble those of the two last 
species, that it is unnecessary to describe them here. The nostrils are lateral, 
near the snout, and the pits between them and the eyes are deep and large. The 
eyes are bright, the pupil black, elliptical and large; the iris of dark grey, inter- 
spersed with yellow spots. The neck is contracted and covered above with 
small, hexagonal, carinated scales. The body is short, robust and covered above 
with scales of similar form to those of the neck, but much larger and more 
strongly carinated. The abdominal plates are broad and Jarge. The tail is 
short, thick, and terminates in an uncertain number of rattles. 
Cotour. The whole superior surface of the body and tail is black, more or 
less relieved in places by dusky-brown, and marked with a series of lighter brown 
rings along the back, and sometimes vertical lines of the same colour on the 
flanks; often, however, both the rings and vertical lines are very indistinct, 
scarcely visible, and then the animal appears entirely black. The tail is always 
black. 
