AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES. 165 
all smooth, without keels, in 15 transverse series over back, and 
174 counted from parietal plates to tip of tail. Gastrosteges 125 
to vent. Urosteges double. Tail about 3% in length of body, 
and slender, ending in a sharp tip. Color in alcohol plumbeous 
above, and whitish below. Iris plumbeous. Length 11 inches. 
irentoms Dr) Ci-C. Abbott. 
About Trenton it has been found in the second growth of tim- 
ber, though not common according to Dr. Abbott. In life it is 
a beautiful animal, and is dark green above, becoming paler on 
sides, and lower surface yellowish-white. In the latter respect 
it may be easily identified from Opheodrys estivuws. It is per- 
fectly harmless, and appears to be more of a member of the up- 
land fauna. 
Coluber vernalis De Kay, in Harlan, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. 
Phila., V, pt. 2, 1827, p. 361.—Harlan, Med. Phys. Res., 1835, 
p. 124 (copied ).—Holbrook, N. Am. Herp., IV, 1840, p. 85, Pl. 
Boa ber. inter ). 
Liopeltis vernalis Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1860, p. 
560.—Abbott, Geol. N. J., 1868, p. 802.—Ditmars, Proc. Linn. 
Soc. N. Y., 1895-96, No. 8, p. 14.—Stone, Am. Nat., XL, 1906, 
p. 166, 
Genus DitapopHtis Baird and Girard. 
The Ring Necked Snakes. 
Diadophis punctatus (Linnzus). 
PLATE 40. 
Ring Necked Snake. 
Body rather cylindrical. Head scarcely distinct from body, 
depressed, flattened above, obtusely ovoid as seen from above 
and with temporal region scarcely swollen. Snout depressed, 
broadly and obtusely convex as seen from above in front, its 
length about 114 in its width, and its sides more or less abruptly 
vertical. When viewed above convergence of snout seen to be 
slight, and its front projects well beyond mandible as seen in 
