AMPHIBIA AND REPTILIA OF COLORADO 9 1 



The species of this genus, of which there are some ten or twelve, 

 are confined to North and Central America. They are oviparous. 



Ophibolus doliatus (Linnaeus) 



Western Milk Snake, Red King Snake, or Ringed King Snake 

 (Figure 23) 

 Coluber doliatus Linnaeus, Sysl. Nat., ed. XII, p. 379, 1766. 



Five distinct subspecies of this variable species may be distin- 

 guished. The Colorado specimens examined by us were all referable 

 to 0. d. gentilis, although it is probable that the subspecies O. d. 

 doliatus may be found in southeastern Colorado, 

 a. No oblique black bar back of the eye. 



b. Black bands forming distinct rings entirely around the body; black 

 spots opposite the dorsal bands of the ventral color. 



O. d. gentilis (Baird and Girard). 

 bb. Black bands not forming rings around the body. 



O. d. doliatus (Linnaeus) . 



Ophibolus doliatus gentilis (Baird and Girard) 



Ophibolus gentilis Baird and Girard, Cat. N. Am. Rept., Pt. I, p. 90, 1853. 



Ophibolus doliatus gentilis Cope, Check-list N . Amer. Batr. and Rept., p. 36, 1875. 



Ophibolus triangulus gentilis — Garman, Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool., Vol. VIII, 

 No. 3, p. 66, 1883 (Colorado and Utah); Cockerell, Univ. Colo. Studies, Vol. 

 VII, p. 131, 1910 (Boulder, Colo.). 



Dorsal scales smooth, in 21 or rarely 23 rows; ventrals, 160 to 220; 

 tail one-fifth to one-eighth of the total length. 



Predominant color varying from slate brown, through brick red 

 to scarlet; ventral parts light gray to bright yellow; dorsal pattern 

 of twenty to forty irregular blotches of the predominating color, 

 separated by narrower bands of the ventral color, which come up from 

 below, leaving the dorsal blotches as saddles ; dorsal blotches strongly 

 margined with narrow black bands (which in two subspecies form 

 complete rings around the body); ventral parts with or without 

 black spots opposite the dorsal bands of the ventral color; top of the 

 head usually with a patch of the predominating color, margined with 



