13. COLUBRID.^ 



back, but often is very indistinct. Dorsal spots are present 

 in some specimens and may invade the edges of the dorsal 

 line, if present, or may resemble those of T. ordinoides 

 hammondii. The lower surfaces are usually yellowish or 

 greenish gray sometimes more or less uniformly clouded 

 with slate or with dark markings similar to those of T. ordin- 

 oides vagrans. 



Length to anus 3 57 684 740 827 1095 1096 



Length of tail 119 199 -__... 242 280 311 



Variation. — The loreal is 1 — 1 in sixty-seven specimens. 

 Preoculars 1 — 1 in fifty-two, or 81%; 2 — 2 in eleven, or 

 17%; and 1 — 2 in one, or 2%; Postoculars 3 — 3 in fifty- 

 six, or 89%>; 2—3 in six, or 9%; and 2—2 in one, or 2%. 

 Temporals 1+2— 1+2 in thirty-eight, or 60%; 1+3—1+3 

 in thirteen, or 20%); 1+2—1+3 in eleven, or 17%; and 

 1+3 — 1++ in one, or 2%. Th^ supralabials are 8 — 8 in 

 sixty-two, or 95%; and 8 — 9 in three, or 5%. The infra- 

 labials are 10 — 10 in forty, or 61 %; 11 — 11 in twelve, or 

 18%; 9— 10 in six, or 9%; 10—11 in five, or 8%; 11—9 

 in one, or 2% ; and 9 — 9 in one, or 2%. The scale-rows are 

 21— 19— 17 in thirty-one, or 48%; 21— 21— 17 in twenty- 

 four, or 38%; 19— 21— 19— 17 in six, or 9 7o; 19—19—17 

 in two, or 37o; and 23 — 21 — 17 in two, or 3%. The gas- 

 trosteges vary from 153 to 181, males having from 160 to 

 181, females from 153 to 177; the average in twenty-two 

 males is 172.3, in forty-three females, 167. The urosteges 

 vary from 65 to 99, males having from 77 to 99, females 

 from 65 to 88; the average in fourteen males is 88.4, in 

 thirty-eight females, 81.7. 



Distribution. — This subspecies is the common water- 

 snake of the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys of Cali- 

 fornia from Shasta to Kern counties. It ranges west into 



