34 TROPIDONOTUS ERYTHROGASTER. 
posterior part. The tail is long, compressed, triangular, and terminates in a 
point; covered with carinated scales above, and bifid plates below. 
Cotour. ‘The whole superior surface of the animal, body, head, neck, and tail, 
is brownish-red, or brick-dust colour; the sides are tinged with green near the 
abdomen; the whole inferior surface is uniform copper colour. 
Divenstons. Length of head, 13 inches; greatest breadth of head, 11 lines; 
length of body, 32 inches; length of tail, 11 inches. The specimen described had 
147 abdominal plates, and 60 pair of sub-caudal bifid plates. 
Hasits. The habits of the Tropidonotus erythrogaster seem closely allied to 
those of the Tropidonotus fasciatus; they are found in similar localities, and live 
on similar food, though the former is less numerous than the latter. 
GrocrapuicaL Distrisution. I have never hitherto heard of the existence of 
this snake northward of South Carolina; its range extends through that state, 
Georgia, Alabama, and along the northern shores of the Gulf of Mexico. 
Professor Green, of Philadelphia, has in his possession a specimen taken as far 
west as Amity county, Louisiana. 
GeneraL Remarks. This animal was first described by Catesby, under the 
name of Copperbellied Snake, who gave also a pretty good drawing of it; and 
Foster, in his catalogue appended to Catesby, called it Coluber erythrogaster; 
since which work it has been overlooked by some naturalists, and by others 
referred to the Coluber porcatus of Bosc. 
