178 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



Distribution. — Seven specimens of this little snake 

 were collected by Dr. Gustav Eisen near Fresno, Fresno 

 County, California, in 1879. The species has not been 

 found since. 



Genus 31. HYPSIGLENA. 



Hypsiglena, Cope, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1860, p. 246 (type 

 ochrorhynchus); Pseudodipsas, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac, 1860, 

 p. 521; Gomastes, Jan, Elenco Sist. Ofid., 1863, p. 102. 



The body is small, with moderate, slender tail. The 

 head is distinct from the neck by reason of the swollen 

 temples, which in old specimens are greatly enlarged. 

 The snout is rounded and rather prominent. The head 

 plates are normal. The nasals rarely unite above the 

 nostril. Two (or three) preoculars and two postoculars 

 are present, as is also a loreal. Temporals are normally 

 one followed by two. The scales are smooth, in nine- 

 teen or twenty-one rows, with apical pits. The anal 

 plate is divided. Urosteges are in two rows. The eye 

 is of moderate size or small, with vertically elliptic 

 pupil. 



56. — Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus Cope. Spotted Night 



Snake. 



Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus, Cope, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., I860, 

 p. 246 (type locality Cape San Iiucas, Lower California, 

 Mex.); Cope, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Pliila., 1883, p. 32; Stejneger, 

 N. A. Fauna, No. 7, 1893, p. 204; Boulenger, Cat. Snakes Brit. 

 Mus., II, 1894, p. 209. 



Hypsiglena chlorophcea, Cope, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1860, p. 247 

 (type locality Fort Buchanan, Ariz.); Stejneger, N. A. 

 Fauna, No. 7, 1893, p. 205. 



Hypsiglena texana, Stejneger, N. A. Fauna, No. 7, 1894, p. 205 

 (type locality "between Laredo and Camargo, Tex."). 



Description. — Head flat-topped or slightly rounded, 



and snout projecting. Temporal regions usually swollen. 



Rostral plate large, prominent, recurved on top of snout, 



and bounded behind bv internasal, anterior nasal, and 



