532 University of California Publications in Zoology [Vol. 12 



white scales on the sides are narrowly bordered posteriorly with brown ; 

 this may indicate a leaning toward the conjuncta type, described from 

 Cape San Lucas and Yuma, Arizona (Van Denburgh, 1895, pp. 142, 

 143). 



In the Blythe Junction specimen the loreals are distinct, there are 

 two postoculars, the anterior temporals are three on each side, and 

 there are nine inferior labials, of which the fifth is the largest. The 

 scale rows are 23-21, the gastrosteges 256, and the urosteges 54 (all 

 divided). The total length is 912 millimeters, and the tail length is 

 115 millimeters. 



The rostral plate is yellowish, margined above with brown. All 

 the other parts are dark brown and white. The color pattern is typi- 

 cal. There is a small white patch on the middle of the nape one scale 

 behind the parietals. The body is encircled with thirty-five white 

 rings and the tail with eight. 



Only the one ' ' milk snake ' ' was seen in the Turtle Mountains. It 

 was found on May 30, crawling over the rocks in a canon bottom at 

 about nine o'clock in the morning. An example of this species, taken 

 in the river bottom (arrowweed association) at Needles, on July 15, 

 1909, was trying to swallow head-first a harvest mouse (Reithrodon- 

 tomys) caught in a "gee-whiz" mouse trap. 



Bascanion flagellum frenatum Stejneger 

 Red Racer 



Two specimens of this variable form are at hand (nos. 5545, 5546). 

 The scales are in 17 rows in both, and in each the anal plate is divided. 

 Loreal fused with posterior nasal on each side in no. 5546 ; partly 

 fused on left, distinct on right side, in no. 5545. Other characters as 

 follows : 



No. 5545 5546 



Superior labials 7 right, 9 left 8 



Inferior labials 11 11 



Gastrosteges 201 207 



Urosteges 110 111 



Total length (millimeters) 1291 1237 



Tail length (millimeters) 341 327 



Color descriptions of this subspecies by Cope (1898, p. 801), Stej- 

 neger (1893, pp. 208-209), and Van Denburgh (1897, p. 187) taken 

 probably from preserved material, do not mention the vivid red color 

 of this snake. In both of the present examples there are traces of at 



