246 



BULLETIN 114, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



slight to render it improbable that these are the specimens from 

 which the original description of mexicana was prepared, and then* 

 numbers have therefore been given above as the cotypes of this 

 form. 



Description. — Since the original description is somewhat incomplete, 

 the following is offered in its stead : Ventrals, 193 and 199 ; caudals, 55, 

 in two rows (both specimens females); supralabials, 7; infralabials 

 10, fifth largest, 5 under the last 3 upper labials; preocular single 

 except that it is divided in number 4652 on the left side; postoculars, 

 2; temporals, 2 in the first row, 3 in the second, and 4 or 5 in the 



FiQ. 77.— Lampropeltis mexicana (M.C.Z., scale pattern from no. 4653, color pattern from no. 

 652, San Luis Potosi, Mexico). About 1| x nat. size. Showing color pattern. 



third; posterior chin shields shorter than the anterior, and separated 

 from each other by 2 small scales; loreal about twice as long as high; 

 anal plate entire; scales smooth, with 2 apical pits; dorsal scale 

 rows, 23-21-19. 



Body moderately slender, tapering slightly toward the tail; belly 

 flat, meeting the sides in a rather distinct angle; head flat, distinct 

 from the neck, swollen at the temples, tapering anteriorly, snout 

 truncate; tail, 0.16 to 0.17 of the total length; eye large, its diameter 

 nearly twice the height of the third upper labials. One of the speci- 

 mens measures 803 millimeters, the other 452. 



The pattern of the body (fig. 77) recalls that of triangulum. There 

 are about 39 transversely oblong red blotches on head and tail 



