40. THAMNOPHIS 839 
Thamnophis ordinoides elegans RutHveN, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 
61, 1908, p. 138 (part); GrinneLL & Camp, Univ. Cal. Publ. Zool., 
Vol. 17, No. 10, 1917, p. 180 (part); Sreywecer & Barsour, Check 
List N. Amer. Amph. Rept., 1917, p. 102 (part). 
Thamnophis ordinoides hammondii Grinne.t & Camp, Univ. Cal. Publ. 
Zool., Vol. 17, No. 10, 1917, p. 181 (part). 
Thamnophis ordinoides couchii Van DenspurcH & Stevin, Proc. Cal. 
Acad. Sci., Ser. 4, Vol. VIII, No. 6, p. 251, pl. 12; Van DensurcH 
& Sevin, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., Ser. 4, Vol. XI, 1921, pp. 29, 38. 
Description —Head distinct from neck, flat-topped, 
with narrow rounded snout, and temporal regions some- 
times swollen. Eye moderate. Rostral plate large, bounded 
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 three, or rarely 
two, postoculars. Temporals normally one, followed by 
two, sometimes 1+3, or 1+4. Eight or rarely nine, superior 
and 10 or 11, rarely nine, inferior labials, usually the sixth 
superior and fifth, sixth, or seventh inferior largest, the 
fourth and fifth superior reaching eye, the first pair of 
inferior meeting on median line. Two pairs of genials, 
posterior equal to or longer than anterior. Scales on body 
in 21 or very rarely 19 or 23 rows, all keeled except some- 
times the first row of each side. Anal plate not divided. 
Gastrosteges varying in number from 153 to 181, males 
having from 160 to 181, females from 153 to 177. Uros- 
teges in two series of from 65 to 99, males having from 77 
to 99, females from 65 to 88. 
The ground color is grayish, brown or olive, sometimes 
without any markings, but usually with a dorsal light line 
on at least a portion of the neck. This line may be very short 
(a half inch), or may be continued the whole length of the 
