40. THAMNOPHIS 803 
behind by internasal, anterior nasal, and first labial plates. 
Plates on top of head: a pair of internasals, a pair of pre- 
frontals, a frontal, supraocular of each side, and a pair of 
parietals. Anterior and posterior nasals distinct. One 
loreal. One or rarely two preoculars and from two to four, 
normally three, postoculars. Temporals normally one 
followed by two, sometimes 1+1, 1+3, 2+2 or 2+3. 
Seven, or rarely eight or nine, superior and eight to 11, 
normally 10, inferior labials, fifth or sixth superior and 
fifth, sixth, or seventh inferior usually largest, third and 
fourth or fourth and fifth superior reaching eye, first pair 
of inferior meeting on median line. Two pairs of genials, 
posterior longer than anterior. Scales on body in 19, or 
very rarely 21, rows, all keeled except sometimes the first 
row of each side. Anal plate not divided. Gastrosteges 
varying in number from 156 to 175; males having from 
161 to 175, females 156 to 174. Urosteges in two series 
of from 74 to 97; males having from 82 to 97, females 74 
to 93; a few of the anterior rarely undivided. 
There are three light lines, one on the middle of the 
back and one along the second and third rows of scales of 
each side, but the lateral lines not infrequently blend with 
the color of the belly. The dorsal line usually is bluish, 
but may be yellow. The belly is bluish or yellowish, or 
rarely slaty, and may have a black line or series of spots 
near the tips of the gastrosteges. The head may be brown, 
olive, or coppery red above, bluish or grayish laterally, 
yellowish white below. The tail is colored like the back, 
but less definitely. In some specimens the ground color 
above is solid black, without a trace of red. In others there 
are traces of red on the sides, chiefly on the skin between the 
scales. In several the red is more extensive and forms small 
irregular blotches on the sides. In a number these blotches 
are larger, and extend up from the lateral line in definite 
