722 13. COLUBRID^ 



mens vary from 54 to 89, the average being 74. On the 

 tail, in 65 specimens, they vary from 14 to 29, and aver- 

 age 22.8. 



Distribution. — This subspecies occupies the coast region 

 of southern California and northern Lower California, and 

 has been found on some of the islands off the coast. We 

 have examined specimens from Santa Barbara (Santa Bar- 

 bara), Ventura (Pine Creek), Los Angeles (Charter Oak, 

 Cold Water Canyon, La Crescenta, Pasadena, Mount Wil- 

 son, Sierra Madre, Claremont), San Bernardino (Ontario), 

 Riverside (Colton, San Bernardino Mountains, Riverside, 

 San Jacinto, San Jacinto Mountains), and San Diego (War- 

 ner Pass, Agua Caliente, Cahuilla Valley, Julian, Cuyamaca 

 Mountains, Campo), counties, California, and from En- 

 senada, San Martin Island and South Coronado Island, 

 Lower California. 



It is probably this subspecies of gopher-snake which has 

 been observed but not captured on Santa Catalina Island. 

 Those of Santa Cruz Island, however, are Pituofhis cateni- 

 fer catenijer. 



Remarks. — This subspecies may be known by its large 

 number of gastrosteges and urosteges, and its numerous dor- 

 sal blotches. It seems to be confined to the region west of 

 the desert areas, and probably intergrades with P. catenijer 

 deserticola along the western edge of the desert. Inter- 

 gradation with P. catenijer catenijer probably occurs in or 

 about Santa Barbara County. 



Habits. — "This is the most often met with of all our 

 snakes, and, taken on the whole, has the most favorable rep- 

 utation with the ordinary run of people. Most ranchers 

 and country people have learned to recognize in the gopher 



