33. PITUOPHIS AS 
posteriorly and may be so even on the neck. There are 
several series of smaller, alternating blotches or spots on the 
sides. Across the top of the head between the preocular 
plates is a narrow, brown band, often more or less faded. 
A similar band runs down and back from the upper postoc- 
ular, and there is a brown or black spot below the eye. The 
top of the head is grayish or yellowish brown, marbled with 
dark brown on the parietal and frontal plates. The spaces 
between the dark dorsal blotches on the posterior part of 
the body are grayish or yellowish or light brown, some- 
times with an orange tinge, usually without dark marks on 
the keels of the scales. Anteriorly dark keels often are 
present on the scales of the interspaces. The lower surfaces 
are yellow or yellowish white with brown or black spots, 
chiefly on the lateral portions of each second, third or fourth 
gastrostege and urostege. In some specimens there are cen- 
tral marblings. Rarely, there may be one median, or two 
lateral, longitudinal subcaudal dark bands. 
Length to anus - == = 380 492 570 720 765 1155 
Length’ of ‘tail 65 90 98 122 130 168 
Variation — Twenty-eight specimens from California and 
western Nevada show the following variations. The loreals 
are 1—1 in all. The preoculars are 2—2 in twenty-four, or 
86%; 1—2 in two, or 7%; and 1—1 in two, or 7%. The 
postoculars are 3—3 in twenty-two, or 79%; 44 in five, 
or 18% ; and 3—4 in one, or 3%. The temporals are 3—4 
in eleven, or 39%; 4—4 in five, or 18% 3 4-—5 in four, or 
14%; 5—5 in three, or 11%; and 2—3, 3—3, 3—5, 5—6, 
and 6—6 each in one, or 3%. The supralabials are 8—8 in 
seventeen, or 61%; 8—9 in six, or 21%; 9—9 in four, or 
14%; and 8—10 in one, or 4%. The infralabials are 
13—13 in thirteen, or 46%; 12—12 in six, or 21%; 12—13 
in four, or 14%; 12—14 in two, or 7%; 13—14 in two, or 
