650 13. COLUBRIDM 



white or yellow. The lower surfaces, including none, one- 

 half, one, one and one-half, or two rows of scales, are white, 

 yellow, rose,* orange, lake,* or coral red — brightest post- 

 eriorly — more or less spotted with black at the posterior 

 edges of the gastrosteges and urosteges and under the head. 



Length to anus 137 166 270 333 366 420 



Length of tail 32 40 68 66 101 92 



Remarks. — Of seven specimens from southern Califor- 

 nia six have 1 7 and one 1 5 rows of scales. All other speci- 

 mens have 1 5 rows except a series from Carmel, Monterey 

 County. From this locality we have 14 specimens, of which 

 1 1 have 1 7 and three 1 5 rows. Specimens from more 

 northern localities usually have 15 rows of scales. If this 

 difference in the number of scale-rows is shown by larger 

 series it will be necessary to divide this species into northern 

 and southern subspecies. The northern form would then 

 be known as D. amabilis amabilis (type locality, San Jose, 

 California). The southern subspecies may be called Diado- 

 phis amabilis modestus. 



Distribution. — The Western Ring-neck or "Red- 

 bellied" Snake, lives in all parts of California except the 

 desert area and the hot interior valleys. It ranges north 

 across Oregon, where it has been taken in the Willamette 

 Valley, and west of Hood River, and at Fort Dalles, but I 

 believe, has not been found in any other state. It occurs in 

 northern Lower California. 



In California, it has been found in Shasta (Baird on the 

 McCloud River), Butte (Chambers Ravine near Oroville), 

 El Dorado, Mariposa (Mariposa, Varian, Yosemite Valley), 

 Fresno (Fresno probably in mountains), Tulare (Redstone 

 Park, Springville, Colony Mill, Sequoia National Park), 



