45. MICRURUS 889 
terminal slit, being the lower opening of the canal, 1s 
situated slightly on the outer side of the fang.” 
The species of this genus are mostly rather small, retir- 
ing in habit, living largely underground, are of rather gentle 
and amiable temperament, and have rather small mouths 
and fangs. They seldom are a source of danger to man, 
although serious effects and even death have resulted from 
their bites. 
The harmless king snakes frequently are confused with 
the snakes of this genus, owing to the fact that both are 
marked with rings of red, black and white or yellow. It is 
easy to distinguish the poisonous species of this genus from 
the harmless King Snakes by coloration alone, since the red 
is next to the white (or yellow) rings in the poisonous snakes, 
while in the harmless species the red is next the black. 
205. Micrurus euryxanthus (Kennicott) 
SONORAN CoRAL SNAKE 
Elaps euryxanthus Kennicotr, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1860, 
P- 337 (type locality, Sonora); Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 
1861, p. 296; Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1866, p. 307; 
Cope, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 1, 1875, p. 34; Coues, Surv. W. 
rooth Merid., Vol. V, 1875, p. 611; Srreers, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 
No. 7, 1877, p. 40; Garman, Mem. Mus. Compr. Zool., Cambr., 
Vol. VII, No. 3, 1883, pp. 107, 169; Yarrow, Bull. U. S. Nat. 
Mus., No. 24, 1883, p. 82; Cracin, Bull. Washburn Col. Laborat., 
Vol. 1, 1884, p. 8; Cope, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 32, 1887, p. 86; 
Cope, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XIV, 1892, p. 681; STEJNEGER, 
Report U. S. Nat. Mus. for 1893, 1895, p. 362, pl. 2; BouLENGER, 
Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus., Vol. III, 1896, p. 415; Cope, Amer. Natu- 
ralist, Vol. XXX, 1896, p. 1014; Cope, Report U. S. Nat. Mus. for 
1898, 1900, p. 1125; Brown, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1901, 
P- 95; STEJNEGER, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XXV, 1902, p. 157; 
Ruruven, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., Vol. XXIII, 1907, p. 589; 
Dirmars, Reptile Book, 1907, p. 401, pls. CXVII, figs. 3, 4, CXX, 
fig. 2; Mocquarp, Miss. Sci. au Mexique, Pt. HI, Rept., 1908, 
p- 921; Stone, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci Phila., rg11, p. 232; VAN 
