40. THAMNOPHIS 797 
Variation.—Two hundred and thirty-six specimens show 
the following variations: The loreal is 1—1 in all. The 
preoculars are 1—1 in two hundred and thirty-six and 
2—2 in one. The postoculars are 3—3 in two hundred and 
fifteen or 92%; 3—4 in thirteen, or 5% 3; 2—3 in four, 
or 2%; 4-4 in one, and 2—2 in one. The temporals are 
1+2—1+2 in two hundred and twenty-one, or 94%; 
1+1—1+2 in five, or 2%; 1+2—1+3 in -four, or 2%; 
1--1—I-+1 in four, or 2%; and 1+3—1+3 in one. The 
supralabials are 7—7 in one hundred and eighty-three, or 
77 Yo; 7—8 in forty-one, or 17%; and 8—8 in fourteen, 
or 6%. The infralabials are 10—10 in one hundred and 
sixty-nine, or 71%; 9—10 in forty-one, or 17%; 9—9 in 
fifteen, or 6%; 8—9 in eight, or 3%; 8—10 in two, or 1%; 
and 10—11 in two, or 1%. The scale-rows are 19—17—17 
in all specimens. The gastrosteges vary in number from 146 
to 170, males having from 150 to 170, females from 146 to 
167; the average in ninety-nine males is 164.3, in one hun- 
dred and eighteen females, 156.4. The urosteges vary 
from 66 to 95, males having from 70 to 95, females from 
66 to 91; the average in eighty males is 84.2, in eighty- 
eight females, 76.8. 
While a dark style of coloration with a tendency toward 
narrow lines is characteristic of this subspecies, this type of 
coloration is by no means constant. Specimens similar in 
color to the type of pickeringii seem to be very rare even in 
the far north. In general, the difference from T. sirtalis 
parietalis and T. sirtalis infernalis lies in an increase in the 
dark pigment, both dorsally and ventrally, rather than in 
a marked narrowing of the lines or a reduction in the 
amount of red in the coloration. 
Some specimens from Oregon are no darker than Cali- 
fornian TJ’. sirtalis infernalis, and show red heads and often 
much red on the body. Others are quite dark. Upon the 
