826 13. COLUBRID& 



whole length and continuous with the light-colored sides 

 of the head is a pale lemon-yellow stripe, brightest anter- 

 iorly and becoming dusky and merging with the ventral 

 color-tract posteriorly. This stripe involves the second 

 and part of the third scale rows above the gastrosteges on 

 either side. The sides of the head exhibit several vertical 

 dusky markings; and the otherwise dark brown back is 

 faintly flecked, along either side of the median stripe and 

 just above the lateral stripes, with whitish scale edgings. 

 There is not a trace of red anywhere. The bright yellow 

 median dorsal stripe is a conspicuous feature in the colora- 

 tion of this snake." 



Length to anus 354 395 420 477 492 570 



Length of tail 156 125 133 162 161 132 



Variation. Ninety-seven specimens show the following 

 variations: 



The loreal is 1 1 in all. The preoculars are 1 1 in 

 eighty-nine, or 93 %; 1 2 in five, or 5%; and 2 2 in 

 two, or 2%. The postoculars are 3 3 in ninety-two, or 

 95%; 34 in four, or 4%; 23 in one, or 1%. The 

 temporals are 1+2 1+2 in seventy-one, or 75%; 1+2 

 1+3 in sixteen, or 17%; 1+3 1+3 in seven, or 7%; 

 and 1 + 1 1 + 1 in one, or 1%. The supralabials are 8 8 

 in ninety-one, or 94%; 7 8 in two, or 2%; 8 9 in one, 

 or 1 % ; 9 9 in one, or 1 % ; and 7 6 in one, or 1 %. The 

 infralabials are 10 10 in eighty-two, or 85%; 9 10 in 

 ten, or 107o; 9 9 in two, or 2%; 8 10 in one, or 1%; 

 10 11 in one, or 1%; and 11 11 in one, or 1%. The 

 scale-rows are 19 19 17 in twenty-two, or 23%; all the 

 others (77%) have 21 rows of scales, but the formula 

 varies, being 19 211917 in thirty, 21 19 17 in 

 seventeen, 21 21 17 in twelve, 19 21 17 in twelve, 

 and 20 21 17 in two. The gastrosteges vary from 151 



