No. 50.] 123 



SYNONYMS. 



Tropidonotus occipito-maculatus , Stoker, Rep. Rept. Mass. 1839, 230. 



Coluber venustus, Hallow. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. III. 1847, 274 j aad IV. 



1849, 246. 

 Storeria occipito-maculata, B. & G. 1. c 1853, 137. 



Nostril almost entirely in tlie prenasal plate, in some cases the postnasal 

 not entering at all into it. Five to six upper labials, increasing in length 

 posteriorly : lower labials six to seven, similarly constituted. Vertical plate 

 hexagonal, shield-shaped. Muzzle rather broad. Eyes larger than in S. dekayi. 



Color above light chestnut-brown, sometimes chestnut-gray, at others 

 olivaceous. A paler vertebral line from occiput to end of tail, about three 

 scales in width. On each side of this may be seen a series of minute brown 

 spots, produced by the brown bases of the scales in the third row on each 

 side from the central series. Sometimes the brown covers the whole scale, and 

 gives rise to two dorsal lines : at others it is almost entirely wanting ; and 

 this, connected as it generally is with a less distinct vertebral band, gives the 

 impression of a uniform tint above. Upper margin of the exterior dorsal linies 

 brighter yellowish, giving the effect in some cases of a lateral narrow light 

 line. Abdomen, in life, salmon-color ; in alcohol, whitish yellow, with the 

 sides finely mottled with dark brown, sometimes obsoletely, at others con- 

 stituting very distinct bands : these generally do not encroach upon the 

 dorsal scales. Occasionally, however, the middle of the exterior row of scales 

 exhibits a dark stripe. Immediately behind the occipital plates, and on the 

 median line, is seen a dull salmon-colored blotch ; on each side of which, over 

 the angle of the jaws, is a similar smaller one : the intervals between these 

 blotches sometimes darker. A small salmon-colored spot on the fourth or fifth 

 upper labial, behind the orbit. Plates on the top of the head blotched with 

 darker. Lower jaw minutely dotted with brown. 



Description of a living specimen caught at Westport (N. Y.), 

 August 1847. — " Iris dark chesnut, rather lighter above and externally. 

 General color above dull chestnut-brown. Attentively examined, however, 

 when wet, there is seen a faint dorsal stripe of lighter color, bordered by a 

 line on each side of darker, which fades off to the abdominal scutellse until 

 the color is the same as the dorsal line, or even lighter. Behind the head are 

 three light yellowish brown occipital spots. Whole under parts, except the 

 chin or throat, bright brick-red : chin and throat white, mottled finely with 

 gray and black like pepper and salt. An irregularly defined stripe of the same 

 mottling along the sides from head to anus, crossing the abdominal scutellae 

 near the outside." 



