40. THAMNOPHIS 839 



Thamnophis ordinoides elegant RUTHVEN, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 

 61, 1908, p. 138 (part); GRINNELL & CAMP, Univ. Cal. Publ. Zool., 

 Vol. 17, No. 10, 1917, p. 180 (part); STEJNEGER & BARBOUR, Check 

 List N. Amer. Amph. Kept., 1917, p. 102 (part). 



Thamnophis ordinoides hammondii GRINNELL & CAMP, Univ. Cal. Publ. 

 Zool., Vol. 17, No. 10, 1917, p. 181 (part). 



Thamnophis ordinoides couchii VAN DENBURGH & SLEVIN, Proc. Cal. 

 Acad. Sci., Ser. 4, Vol. VIII, No. 6, p. 251, pi. 12; VAN DENBURGH 

 & SLEVIN, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., Ser. 4, Vol. XI, 1921, pp. 29, 38. 



Description. Head distinct from neck, flat-topped, 

 with narrow rounded snout, and temporal regions some- 

 times swollen. Eye moderate. Rostral plate large, bounded 

 behind by internasal, anterior nasal, and first labial plates. 

 Plates on top of head: a pair of internasals, a pair of pre- 

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

 parietals. Anterior and posterior nasals distinct. One 

 loreal. One, or rarely two, preoculars, and three, or rarely 

 two, postoculars. Temporals normally one, followed by 

 two, sometimes 1+3, or 1+4. Eight or rarely nine, superior 

 and 10 or 11, rarely nine, inferior labials, usually the sixth 

 superior and fifth, sixth, or seventh inferior largest, the 

 fourth and fifth superior reaching eye, the first pair of 

 inferior meeting on median line. Two pairs of genials, 

 posterior equal to or longer than anterior. Scales on body 

 in 21 or very rarely 19 or 23 rows, all keeled except some- 

 times the first row of each side. Anal plate not divided. 

 Gastrosteges varying in number from 153 to 181, males 

 having from 1 60 to 181, females from 1 53 to 1 77. Uros- 

 teges in two series of from 65 to 99, males having from 77 

 to 99, females from 65 to 88. 



The ground color is grayish, brown or olive, sometimes 

 without any markings, but usually with a dorsal light line 

 on at least a portion of the neck. This line may be very short 

 (a half inch), or may be continued the whole length of the 



