274 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY. 



the season of reproduction. Several hundred individuals fell under Dr. 

 Ooues's observation, of which a sufficiently large series of upward of fifty 

 specimens, representing all the species known to occur in this region, 

 was preserved. 



These specimens include three perfectly distinct species. One of these 

 is the wide-ranging E. vagrans, almost universally distributed in the 

 West. Another is of the sir talis type, and the third, more abundant and 

 characteristic than either of the others, belongs to the radix group, and 

 occurs under two varieties geographically distinguished. Without refer- 

 ence to other species of the genus, the three just indicated may be readily 

 distinguished by the following analysis: — 



A. Lateral stripe on the second and third rows of dorsal scales. 



a. Dorsal rows commonly 21 ; normally 8 superior labials. 



Body brown, with numerous small dark spots in two rows, nicking into the 

 narrow inconspicuous stripes; no red; no bands on head; belly variably 



plumbeous vagrans. 



t. Dorsal rows commonly 19 ; normally 7 superior labials. 



Body pitchy-black, without spots, but mixed with small vermilion-red spaces ; 

 the stripes broad, firm, and perfectly continuous sirtalis parietalis. 



B. Lateral stripe on the third and fourth rows of dorsal scales ; superior labials nor- 



mally 7 ; normally 21 rows of scales. 



a. Pitchy-black and equally so below and above the lateral stripe ; dorsal and 

 lateral stripes narrow ; both gamboge-yellow, not contrasted with each 

 other radix. 



a". Olivaceous-black ; lighter or interrupted below the lateral stripe ; dorsal stripe 

 broad, rich chrome-yellow, contrasted with the pa,le gamboge-yellow lateral 

 stripe - radix twiningi. 



EUT^NIA VAGRANS. B. & G, 



Wandering Garter SnaTce. 



Eutainia vagrans, Bd. & GiR., Cat. N. A. Reptiles, 1863, 35 (Texas and California to 

 Puget Sound).— GiR. U. S. Exp]. Exped. Herpet. 1858, 154, pi. 14, f. 5-10.— Bd. 

 P. E. E. Eep. X. 1859, Beckwith's Eoate, Eeptiles, 19, pi. 17.— Coop. & Suckl. 

 N. H. W. Terr. 1860, 297.— Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1866, 305, 307. 



Euicmia vagrans subsp. vagrans, Cope, Check List N. A. Bat. and Eep. 1875, 41. 



Specimens. 



1151. Sweetgrass Hills. August 3, 1874. 



1157. Sweetgrass Hills. August 3, 1874. 



1157 bis. Sweetgrass Hills. August 3, 1874. 



1157 ter, Sweetgrass Hills. August 3, 1874. 



1184. Chief Mountain Lake. August 23, 1874. 



Description (from Nos. 1157, his, ter). — This is a rather small species, 

 the largest specimens seen being little over two feet in length, of slender 

 form, and inconspicuous coloration, by reason of the narrowness of the 

 bands, their dull color, and their indentation by the series of dark spots. 

 On a general view, these spots are nearly as evident as the bands them- 



