64 



CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



[Phoc. 4th Ser. 



51. Verticaria hyperythra beldingi (Stejneger) 



The specimens of this subspecies recorded in the preceding 

 table include twenty-four from Ensenada, two collected by 

 Messrs. Stowell and Lunt at San Telmo, northern Lower Cali- 

 fornia, and two from Poway Corners, San Diego County, 

 California. 



58. Coluber flagellum piceus (Cope) 



This snake, called by the natives Culebra chirrionera, was 

 found from sea-level at La Paz to an altitude of 722 feet at 

 Miraflores. Brush fences around the numerous little ranch 

 houses furnished excellent hiding places for this racer. Several 

 of the specimens taken were found in these fences, where they 

 lay stretched out at full length awaiting their prey. Lizards, 

 to escape their natural enemies, the hawks, sought refuge here, 

 and seldom would a snake have to wait long before securing a 

 meal. This species, with the exception of the water snake, was 

 the most abundant serpent met. It was not found above the 

 floor of the desert and generally was confined to the more 

 brushy portions of this area. Its food consisted of the numer- 

 ous lizards found in the cactus belt. One specimen (No. 

 45966) had a full grown Dipsosaurus in its stomach. Another 

 (No. 45962) had eaten a Cnemidophorus, and still another 

 (No. 45970) a mouse. A fourth (No. 45972) had the tail of 

 a Dipsosaurus in its stomach. A fifth (No. 45980) was taken 

 in a brush pile just after it had caught a Verticaria, The tail 

 of the lizard was protruding from the snake's mouth. A speci- 

 men (No. 45979) taken at San Jose del Cabo was six feet in 

 length. The specimens varied in color, being gray, salmon, 

 brown, or black. A cactus spine over an inch long was pulled 

 out of a specimen taken at Miraflores. 



