13. COLUBRIDM 



whole length and continuous with the light-colored sides 

 of the head is a pale lemon-yellow stripe, brightest anter- 

 iorly and becoming dusky and merging with the ventral 

 color-tract posteriorly. This stripe involves the second 

 and part of the third scale rows above the gastrosteges on 

 either side. The sides of the head exhibit several vertical 

 dusky markings; and the otherwise dark brown back is 

 faintly flecked, along either side of the median stripe and 

 just above the lateral stripes, with whitish scale edgings. 

 There is not a trace of red anywhere. The bright yellow 

 median dorsal stripe is a conspicuous feature in the colora- 

 tion of this snake." 



Length to anus 3 5 + 



Length of tail 156 



Variation. — Ninety-seven specimens show the following 

 variations: 



The loreal is 1 — 1 in all. The preoculars are 1 — 1 in 

 eighty-nine, or 93%; 1 — 2 in five, or 5%; and 2 — 2 in 

 two, or 2%. The postoculars are 3 — 3 in ninety-two, or 

 95% J 3_4 in four, or 4%; 2—3 in one, or 1%. The 

 temporals are 1+2 — 1+2 in seventy-one, or 75%; 1+2 — 

 1+3 in sixteen, or 17%; 1+3 — 1+3 in seven, or 7%; 

 and 1 + 1 — 1 + 1 in one, or 1 %. The supralabials are 8 — 8 

 in ninety-one, or 94%; 7 — 8 in two, or 2%; 8 — 9 in one, 

 or 1 % ; 9 — 9 in one, or 1 % ; and 7 — 6 in one, or 1 %. The 

 infralabials are 10 — 10 in eighty-two, or 85%; 9 — 10 in 

 ten, or 10%); 9 — 9 in two, or 2%; 8 — 10 in one, or 1%; 

 10 — 11 in one, or 1%; and 11 — 11 in one, or 1%. The 

 scale-rows are 19 — 19 — 17 in twenty-two, or 23%; all the 

 others (77%) have 21 rows of scales, but the formula 

 varies, being 19—21—19—17 in thirty, 21—19—17 in 

 seventeen, 21 — 21 — 17 in twelve, 19 — 21 — 17 in twelve, 

 and 20 — 21 — 17 in two. The gastrosteges vary from 151 



