REVISION OF THE KING SNAKES. 223 



divided by the total length varies from 0.131 to 0.161, averaging about 

 0,146 for each sex. The largest specimen examined came from Cal- 

 lahan, California, and measm-ed 973 mm. 



The pattern is formed of about 45 whitish rings separated by black 

 ones which are more or less completely split with red. The white 

 rings, 23 to 57 in number, are from 1 to 3 scales in width, not widened 

 on the sides nor mottled there with darker, and are complete on the 

 belly. The black rings are from two to several times as wide as the 

 white, and are usually more or less completely split with red, which is 

 wider on the lower rows of scales. The first black ring is usually 

 but not always, complete on the throat. The head is black, only 

 occasionally lightened in the frontal, prefrontal, and loreal region. 



The dentition is indicated by a few specimens to be as follows: 

 Maxillary teeth, 11 to 13, commonly 12, second to fifth longest, 

 rest smaller, except the last two, which are blade-like and distinctly 

 enlarged; mandibular teeth, 12 to 14, usually 12, second to fifth 

 longest, becoming much smaller posteriorly; palatines, 9 to 11, 

 commonly 9, becoming smaller posteriorly; pterygoids, 15 to 18, 

 small, diminishing in size posteriorly. 



This form may be distinguished from gentilis, as it occurs west of 

 the Rocky Mountains, by the greater number of ventral plates, 

 more than 200, and by the fact that the white rings do not widen 

 on the sides; the snout of gentilis may be red at the tip, but in 

 multicincta it is only black. From pyrrliomelaena it may be known 

 by the black instead of whitish snout, by the number of caudal 

 plates, not more than 61 in multicincta nor less than that number in 

 pyrrhamelaena, by the lower numbers of ventral plates and white 

 annuli, and by the infrequency of 10 infralabials. Occasional speci- 

 mens in which the red is reduced to practical disappearance may 

 resemble hoylii, but may be immediately distinguished by the totally 

 black snout, and the fact that the wliite rings are not particularly 

 mder below than above. From annulata it may be known by the 

 greater number of white rings, nearly always more than 30. 



Habitat and Tiabits. — ^According to Van Denburgh (1897, 169) 

 "this brilliant snake seems to prefer the moister, cooler portions of 

 the state [of California], such as are occupied by coniferous forests." 

 According to Grinnell and Camp (1917, 186) it "inhabits forest floors 

 and chaparral-covered hillsides." For Los Angeles County Grinnell 

 and Grirmell (1907, 40) say it is of "very general distribution in the 

 large canyons all through our mountains. In most of its range it 

 appears to be the commonest snake; at least it is the one most often 

 to attract attention. The coral king snake is a relatively small 

 snake, of slow movements, and perfectly harmless. Yet when 

 roughly handled it bites to the best of its strength. The senior 



