30 SYNOPSES AND DESCRIPTIONS. 
between the two anteorbitals. One temporal in contact with the three 
postorbitals. Labials 7 (6—7), third and fourth in orbit. Infralabials 7, 
fourth largest. Submentals two pairs. Scales keeled, in 15 rows, verte- 
bral narrow, outer broad, smooth. Ventrals 126+. Anal divided. Sub- 
caudals 40 pairs. 
Light to olive brown, punctulate above and below, with about fifty-four 
light-edged black cross-bars extending over six rows of scales, alternating 
with shorter ones on the sides, broken into spots on the neck. A large 
blotch behind the occiput on each side. Total length 13 in. 51.; tail 2 in. 
81. (From deser.) Mexican Plateau, between Valley of Mexico and the 
Eastern Range. 
STORERIA OCCIPITOMACULATA, pl. I, fig. 2. 
TROPIDONOTUS OCCIPITOMACULATUS Storer, 1839, Rep. Mass. Rept., 230, 
SroreriA occrpitomacuLatTus Baird & Girard, 1853, Cat. N. A. Serp., 137. 
Small, not stout, elongate, subcylindrical, belly round; head distinct, 
depressed, crown slightly convex, narrow in front; tail about one fourth of 
the total, tapering regularly to a slender extremity. Eyes medium, pupil 
round. Mouth-cleft deep, slightly curved. Head-shields nine, short, broad. 
Rostral broader than high. Nasal divided, nostril in anterior portion. Lo- 
real absent, rarely present (a specimen from Michigan has one on each 
side). Two anteorbitals. Postorbitals two. Temporals 1+2. Labials 6 
(5—6), low, eye over the third and fourth, penultimate larger. Infralabials 
7 (6—7), fifth largest. Submentals two pairs, posterior half as large as 
anterior. Seales keeled, notched at the end, in 15 rows, dorsal narrow, 
outer much broader. Ventrals 117—128. Anal bifid. Subcaudals 43—50. 
Brownish or greyish olive. A narrow band of light color on the middle 
of the back, three scales in width, inclosed by a pair of narrow black lines; 
on the inferior row there is a similar line or vitta. Closely examined, the 
scales are punctulate or mottled with black. The middle of the belly is 
yellowish white, red in life, and becomes more olive toward the flanks. 
3chind each angle of the mouth, and on the occiput, there is a spot of 
light color. Under the head and neck the scales are more or less punctu- 
late or clouded with brown. The markings vary from very distinct to 
obsolete. Mississippi Valley and Eastward. 
a, 
