686 13. COLUBRID^ 



Zamenis taniatus Boulenger, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus., Vol. I, 1893, 

 p. 390 (part); Cope, Report U. S. Nat. Mus. for 1898, 1900, p. 

 815; DiTMARS, Reptile Book, 1907, p. 289, pi. XC, fig. 2; Ellis & 

 Henderson, Univ. Colorado Studies, Vol. X, No. 2, 1913, p. 105. 



Zamenis taniatus tizniatus Brown, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1 901, 

 p. 62. 



Coluber tanialus tctniatus Stejneger & Barbour, Check List N. Amer. 

 Amph. Rept., 1917, p. 80; Van Denburgh & Slevin, Proc. Cal. 

 Acad. Sci., Ser. 4, Vol. XI, 1921, pp. 28, 36, 40, 45. 



Description. — Head long, with flattened top and round- 

 ed snout. Rostral plate large, about as high as broad, 

 hollowed below, and bounded behind by internasal, anterior 

 nasal and first labial plates. Plates on top of head are a 

 pair of internasals, a pair of prefrontals, supraocular and 

 part of upper preocuJar of each side, a long frontal, and a 

 pair of large parietals. Anterior and posterior nasals dis- 

 tinct. Loreal longer than high. Preoculars two, upper 

 much larger than lower, rarely united. Postoculars two, 

 nearly equal. Temporals two followed by two, sometimes 

 1+2 or 1 + 1. Eight, or rarely seven, superior, and nine or 

 10 (rarely seven) inferior labials, seventh of upper and fifth 

 of lower largest, fourth and fifth upper reaching eye, first 

 pair of lower meeting on median line. Genials in two pairs, 

 anterior smaller than posterior. Scales on body smooth, in 

 fifteen rows. Anal plate divided. Gastrosteges varying in 

 number from 198 to 215. Urosteges in two series of from 

 114 to 157. 



The color above is grayish or yellowish brown, palest on 

 the tail, the scales of the sides more or less yellow, and with 

 narrow dark lines along the middle of each row. These 

 dark lines are sometimes present on the dorsal scales as well 

 as on those of the sides, and a wider line often runs along 

 the tips of the gastrosteges. The yellow of the lateral 

 scales is variable in intensity, and sometimes — especially in 



