98 NEW SNAKES FKOM CALIFORNIA STEJNGERE. 



Dimensions. — Total length, 765 mm ; length of tail, from anus, 80 mm ; 

 diameter of eye, 2.5 mm ; from tip of muzzle to anterior border of eye, 

 10mm . proportion of last two measurements =1:4. 



Coloration. — Uniform drab-brown above, fading into whitish on the 

 under parts. 



In spite of the fewer scales forming the eye ring, a feature which 

 seems to be of less importance, the present form appears to agree better 

 with /.. ntyriolepis than with roseofnsca. The scale rows are only two 

 less than in a Specimen labeled L. myriolepis by Cope himself (U. S. Nat. 

 Mns., No. 14129: San Diego; Charles Orcutt, coll.), and in the numi'rous 

 loreal scales it also agrees better with the latter. The diameter of the 

 eye shows the same ratio to the distance from the tip of the muzzle in 

 these two forms, thereby differing considerably from L. trivirgata, in 

 which the eye is comparatively much larger. From L. orcutti the new 

 form differs in the much less produced muzzle and rostral, in the num- 

 ber of scale rows, loreals, and scales composing the eye ring, in the still 

 smaller eye, as well as in coloration. 



So far as can be made out from the scanty material there are at least 

 five species, or varieties, the differences of which may be tabulated as 

 follows : 

 a 1 . Eye ring of 9 to 10 scales, or else more than 4 loreals. 



b'. Eye large, its diameter more than one-third the distance from anterior 

 canthus to tip of muzzle; gasterosteges about 218; color whitish 

 with three blackish-brown longitudinal bauds in strong contrast. 



1. L. trivirgata. 



b x . Eye smaller, its diameter less than one-third the distance from anterior 

 canthus to tip of muzzle ; gasterosteges about 232 ; color brown- 

 ish or bluish above, with or without longitudinal bands, which, 

 when present, contrast but little against the ground color. 

 c l . Scale rows 40 to 45 ; loreals 5 to 7. 



rf'. Eye ring of 9 to 10 scales; scale rows 42 to 45; color bluish gray 

 above, with three lougitudiual light-brownish bauds. 



2. L. myriol&pis. 



d l . Eye ring of 7 to 8 scales; scale rows 40; color uniform ; brownish 

 drab above. 



3. L. simplex. 



c 2 . Scale rows 33 to 35; loreals 4 (eye ring 9 to 10 scales). 



4. L. orcutti. 

 a 2 . Eye ring of 7 to 8 scales and 4 loreals. 



5. L. roseofusca. 



It is more than probable that additional material will alter the above 

 results and necessitate the modification of the " key," which is some- 

 what clumsy because of our ignorance of the character of the rostral, 



