350 APPENDIX C. — REPTILES. 



back and tail, however, exhibit four or more longitudinal furrows 

 or stripes on each of them. 



The lower part of the head and throat is whitish, the belly 

 bluish. Above, olivaceous brown, with two broad bands of black 

 on each side, and perhaps two narrow ones on the back extending 

 from the head to the anterior region of the tail. A whitish or 

 perhaps yellowish stripe extends from the opening of the ear to 

 behind the hind legs, and a similar one from the occiput to the 

 origin of the tail. 



This species inhabits the same location in Oregon as Elgaria 

 scincicauda. The specimen figured, together with several others, 

 were collected by Rev. George Geary, and sent by him to Dr. 

 Avery J. Skilton, to whom we are indebted for their examination, 

 and to whom we have dedicated it, as a slight acknowledgment of 

 gratitude. 



Genus Churchillia, Baird and Girard. 



Gen. char. — Three pairs of frontal plates ; a very small loral, and seyeral 



postorbitals. Scales carinated. 



In spite of the great uniformity in the plan of structure of 

 ophidian reptiles, and especially of the genera Coluber and Tropi- 

 donotus, we do not hesitate in separating generically from both of 

 these, the species hereon described. 



The genus Churchillia has three pairs of frontal plates, one 

 more than in both Coluber and Tropidonotus ; the middle pair, 

 however, is subjected to some irregularities, by which, instead of 

 one pair, there is only an odd plate. In either case it is a con- 

 stant character proper to our genus. There is a small loral plate 

 and several postorbitals. 



The scales of the upper part of the body are carinated, as in 

 tropidonotus, but the lateral row, which is contiguous to the 

 ventral shields, is scarcely larger than the other — while in Tropi- 

 donotus, the scales composing that row are much the largest. 



Churchillia bellona, Baird and Girard. 



Spec. char. — Body yellowish, with a series of large subhexagonal patches of 

 brown, bordered with black, and two or three rows of smaller patches on the 

 sides. A brownish black band across the eyes, from top of head to the angle of 

 the mouth. 



This snake attains a considerable size. The tail, properly so 

 called, is comparatively very short, forming only the ninth part 



