REVISION OF THE KING SNAKES. 233 



often 12 or 13, rarely 14, becoming slightly smaller posteriorly; 

 pterygoids, 16 to 22, smaller than the palatines, likewise diminishing 

 in size posteriorly. 



The penial characters are approximately as follows: Organ small 

 and slender in comparison with size of animal; calyces few, with 

 fringes few and short; latter succeeded by slender spines, which 

 increase in size only slightly; about halfway from the base the latter 

 decrease rapidly in size and disappear entirely, or remain over most 

 of basal portion of organ as minute spines more or less imbedded. 



This form may be distinguished from gcntilifi, multicincia, and 

 annulata by the prominently whitish snout, the greater number of 

 ventrals and caudals, the more numerous annuli, the head distinct 

 from the neck, and the frequent occurrence of 10 infralabials. All 

 but the first two of these points will serve to distinguish it from 

 nchoni. 



Habitat and Jiahits. — From a few brief notes accompanying speci- 

 mens and from the localities it seems that this snake prefers the 

 canyons and mountains, and is not found at §,11 in the deserts. Van 

 Denburgh and Slevin (1913, 415) record three specimens from pine 

 woods m Bear Canyon in the Catalma Mountains, in Ramsey Canyon, 

 Huachuca Mountains, and Oak Creek Canyon in Coconimo County, 

 Arizona. One from the Hualapai Mountains was also taken in a pine 

 forest. 



Range. — Pyrrhomelaena is known to occm* from the Great Salt 

 Lake south through Utah, Arizona, and western New Mexico to 

 Sonora and Chihuahua. Careful collecting may be expected to 

 extend its range in all directions. The vertical range of this form is 

 comparable, so far as we now know, onh^ with that of multicincia. The 

 following altitudes are recorded with specimens: 7,000 feet — Bear 

 Canyon on Mount Lemon in the Catalina Mountahis, Arizona, and 

 Beaver Canyon, Beaver County, Utah; 6,300 and 5,800 feet — 

 Hualapai Mountains; 5,410 feet — Carr's llanch. Sierra Ancha, Gila 

 County, Ai'izona. 



No records have been noted for localities not included in the list 

 of specimens examined. 



Varlalion and affvniiics. — The present material indicates that this 

 form is remarkably constant throughout its range, but a fuller series 

 of specimens may be expected to reveal geographic differences that 

 can not now be detected. 



