Small, Miscellaneous Smooth-scaled Serpents 



States and these are prettily coloured reptiles. With the ex- 

 ception of one species C. mitis, these snakes have a groove on 

 the rear tooth in the upper jaw. Further investigation of this 

 structure may show them to be related to the Opisthoglyph snakes, 

 but as the groove is very shallow and the presence of attendant 

 glands has not been determined, we will include them, provision- 

 ally, among those colubrine serpents that are devoid of a specific 

 secretion to be used in overpowering the prey and specially 

 constructed teeth to inject it. 



Scales perfectly smooth, with a satiny lustre, in 13 to 15 

 rows with the American species. A loreal plate; one preocular 

 plate; ventral plate divided. 



TAYLOR'S SNAKE 



Contia taylori, (Boulenger) 



Body moderately stout; tail about one-fifth the total length. 

 Scales in 1 3 rows. 



Colouration. Pale brown above, each scale darkest along 

 the centre; abdomen and upper lip white. 



Dimensions. Total length, lof inches; tail, 2\ inches. 

 Distribution. Duval County, Texas ; northern Mexico. Three 

 specimens known. 



YELLOW GROUND SNAKE 

 Contia episcopa, (Kennicott) 



Scales in 1 5 rows. Tail about one-fourth the total length. 

 Colouration. " Yellowish, reddish or greenish, sometimes 

 with a yellow dorsal stripe three scales wide; most of the scales 

 tipped with light brown; top of the head like the body, or brown, 

 or black; belly yellowish or greenish white." (A. E. Brown.) 

 Dimensions. Total length, 10 inches; tail 2\ inches. 

 Distribution. Texas and northern Mexico. 



BANDED GROUND SNAKE 

 Contia episcopa, variety iso^ona, (Cope) 

 Proportions like the typical form. 



Colouration. A handsome little snake. Red or deep orange 

 above, with black cross-bands, extending downward nearly to 

 the abdominal plates; head black with exception of the snout, 



33 1 



