766 13. COLUBR1DJE 



if ever swollen. Rostral plate large, little broader than 

 high, hollowed below, and bounded behind by internasal, 

 anterior nasal, and first labial plates. Plates on top of head 

 are a pair of internasals, a pair of prefrontals, a short, broad, 

 irregularly wedge-shaped frontal, supraocular of each side, 

 and a pair of large parietals. Anterior and posterior nasals 

 distinct. A small loreal, rarely absent. One preocular and 

 two (rarely one or three) postoculars. Temporals normally 

 two followed by three. Seven (or eight) superior and eight, 

 nine or 1 inferior labials, fifth and sixth superior and fifth 

 inferior largest, third and fourth superior reaching eye, 

 first pair of inferior meeting on median line. Genials in 

 two pairs, anterior much larger than posterior. Scales 

 smooth, thin, imbricate, in 23 (or 25 or 24) rows. Anal 

 plate not divided. Gastrosteges varying in number from 

 226 to 241. Urosteges in two series of from 47 to 60. 



This is a very peculiar snake which may prove to be a 

 mere variation of Latnpropeltis g. boylii^ from which it does 

 not differ in size, form, or scale characters. There is an 

 immense amount of variation in the color pattern} indeed, 

 this is rarely alike in any two specimens. The head is not 

 colored differently from that of L. g. boylii, except that 

 there often is more yellow near the posterior edges of the 

 parietal plates. Along the sides of the body are more or 

 less broken longitudinal lines or bands of white or yellow. 

 Above these the coloration is dark brown to the median line, 

 along which is a single, definite, narrow line, or a series of 

 small spots or blotches, or both. The tail is dark brown, 

 spotted above with white or yellow. The gastrosteges are 

 yellow or white, unicolor or blotched with brown as in L. g. 

 boylii. 



Length to anus 277 342 104+ 



Length of tail 44 49 140+ 



