13. COLUBRIDJE 



199. Chilomeniscus stramineus (Cope) 

 Dotted Burrowing Snake 



Chilomeniscus stramineus Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., i860, p. 339 

 (type locality. Cape St. Lucas, Lower California, Mexico); 

 Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1861, p. 302; Cope, Bull. U. S. 

 Nat. Mus., No. i, 1875, pp. 35, 92; Yarrow, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 

 No. 24, 1883, pp. 13, 86; Cope, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 32, 1887, 

 p. 81; Beldino, West. Amer. Scientist, Vol. Ill, No. 24, p. 98; 

 Cope, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XIV, 1892, p. 594 (part); Bou- 

 lenger, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus., Vol. II, 1894, p. 573 (part); Van 

 Denburgh, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., Ser. 2, Vol. 5, 1895, p. 138; 

 MocQUARD, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat., Ser. 4, Vol. i, 1899, 

 p. 316; Cope, Report U. S. Nat. Mus. for 1898, 1900, p. 949; Stej- 

 NEGER & Barbour, Check List N. Amer. Amph. Rept., 1917, 

 p. 94, Van Denburgh & Slevin, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., Ser. 4, 

 Vol. XI, 1921, p. 52; Nelson, Mem. Nat. .'Vcad. Sci., Vol. XVI, 

 1921, pp. 114, 115; Terron, Mem. y Rev. Soc. Cient. .Antonio 

 Alzate, Vol. 39, 1921, p. 164. 



Carphophis straminea Garman, Mem. Mus. Compr. Zool., Cambr., 

 Vol. VIII, No. 3, 1883, pp. 99, 166; Garman, Bull. Essex Inst., 

 Vol. XVI, No. I, p. 32. 



Chilomeniscus stramineus stramineus Cope, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 

 Vol. XIV, 1902, p. 595. 



Description. — Head rather wide, little distinct from 

 neck. Snout broad, rounded, greatly depressed, pointed in 

 profile. Rostral plate very large, broad, prominent, exten- 

 sively reverted on upper surface of snout, usually not reach- 

 ing prefrontals, bounded behind by the first supralabial and 

 a large plate corresponding to the internasal and nasals 

 merged. Plates on top of head are the naso-internasals, a 

 pair of prefrontals, a frontal, supraocular of each side, and 

 a pair of rather small parietals. Posterior nasal small, some- 

 times merged with anterior nasal and internasal. No loreal. 

 One preocular. Two postoculars. Temporals one followed 

 by one or two. Supralabials seven, third and fourth reach- 

 ing eye. Inferior labials usually eight, sometimes seven, 



