REPTILES OP THE PACIFIC COAST. 



179 



first labial plates. Plates on top of head, a pair of in- 

 ternasals, a pair of prefrontals, a frontal, supraocular of 

 each side, and a pair of rather short, rounded parietals. 



Anterior and posterior nasals usually distinct, but some- 

 times united above nostril. Loreal small, but often 

 elongate. Two (or one or three) pre- and two postocu- 

 lars. Temporals normally one followed by two, rarely 

 2-2. Eight (rarely seven) superior and ten (or nine) 

 inferior labials, sixth or seventh superior and fifth or 

 sixth inferior largest, fourth and fifth or fifth and sixth 

 superior reaching eye, first pair of inferior meeting on 

 median line. Geneials in two pair, posterior equal to 

 or a little larger or smaller than anterior. Scales on 

 body smooth, thin, in twenty-one rows. Anal plate 

 divided. Gastrosteges varying in number from one 

 hundred and sixty-seven to one hundred and eighty- 

 seven. Urosteges in two series of from forty to fifty- 

 five. 



The ground color above is yellowish white, so thickly 

 sprinkled with minute brown or black dots as to present 

 an ashy or olivaceous appearance. Along the middle of 

 the back is a single or double series of more or less al- 

 ternate and confluent blotches of brown or black. On 

 the sides are two or three or four alternating series of 

 small brown or black spots. There are two or three 



