FAMILY COLUBERID^. 41 



described as ceruleus by Linneus ; always supposing an error to exist in his enumeration of 

 the subcaudal plates. 



The Grass Snake is found from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania. It is also seen, but not 

 abundantly, in Ohio. 



{EXTRA-LIMITAL.) 



C. guttatus. (HoLBROOK, Vol. 2, pi. 24.) Smooth. Reddish brown above, with a series of deeper 



red large blotches, margined with dusky ; beneath white, with quadrate black spots. Abdominal 



plates, 126; caudal, 64. Length four to six feet. Southern States. 

 C. couperi. (Id. Vol. 3, pi. 16.) Head triangular, thick. Scales very large, bluish black. Beneath 



bluish black, and reddish about the throat. Length ten to twelve feet. Carolina, Georgia. 

 C. sayi. (Id. Vol. 4.) Large. Body robust, elongated, black, covered with numerous small rounded 



yellowish white spots over the head, body and tail. Alabama. 

 C. testaceus. (Id. Vol. 3, pi. 13.) Body above pale, sanguineous or testaceous ; beneath sanguineous, 



immaculate. Abdominal plates, 198 ; caudal, 80. Length five feet. Rocky Mountains. 

 C. quadrivittatus. (Id. Vol. 1, pi. 21.) Carinate. Greenish clay-color above, with four longitudinal 



bands; yellowish beneath. Abdominal plates, 233; caudal, 90. Length 4-6 feet Carolina, 



Florida. 

 C. occipitomaculatus. (Stoker, Mass. Rep. p. 230.) Small. Greyish, with an indistinct lighter band 



along the back ; three large white spots behind the occipital plates. Scales smooth. Abdominal 



plates, 124; caudal, 38. Length 10-5. Massachusetts. 

 C. obsoletus. ~. 



C. rhombomaculaius. > (Holbrook, ined.) 

 C. doliatus. * 



GENUS TROPIDONOTUS. Kuhl. 



Head oblong ovate, depressed, distinct. Two nasal plates. Eyes moderate ; pupil round. 

 Loral plate single ; anterior orbital plate the same. Scales sub-hexagonal, notched poste- 

 riorly, elongated and strongly carinated. 



Obs. The animals of this genus possess the power of elevating the ribs, and are thus ena- 

 bled to flatten the body. This enables them to swim well, and hence thej- are all more or 

 less aquatic. In this State four species have been observed. 



Fatjna — Part 3. 



