No. 4339 hat tweuty-two scale rows. Temporal 1-2, all lavge. 

 Preoculars almost, but not quite touching the frontal. Oculars 1-3. 

 Eight superior labials on each side. Middle of orbit above suture 

 between 4th and 5th. Posterior genials longer than anterior ones. 

 Five inferior labials in contact with anterior genials. 



The general coloration is a dark blackish or dusky. The body ii| 

 crossed by brown hands reaching to the gastrosteggs and separated 

 from each other laterally by a ^pace wider than themselves. Dor- 

 sally these bands gradually become indistinguishable from the ground 

 color. The gnstrosteges have a confusion of brownish and blackish 

 color, which forms itself into spots, anteriorly covering most of the 

 light ground color, and on the urosteges this lighter shade becoming 

 almrst con pletely obliterated by the blackish and brownish colora- 

 tion. Hi-ad and throat whitish below. Few spots anteriorly. Upper 

 and lower labials black bordered. Head brownish, unmarked. The 

 coloration is more evident when the specimen is in alcohol or water, 

 and the bands appear to be broader dersally, almost touching each 

 other. Posteriorly, however, some are indistinct or may be absent. 



36. Natrixfaeciatatrarsversa (HALLOWELL). Two [4347, 

 4349] were taken at Fort Smith, Arkansas. 



1 will offer no excuse for re-describing this and the following 

 form. The color patterns are similar, but N. rhomhifera appears to he 

 but a negative of N.f. transversa, for where the present form is light 

 the following form is dark, and visa versa. 



My specimens of N. f. tranversa have twenty-three scale rows. 

 The ground color is light brownish, with laige black quadrangular 

 spots, with pointed ends, on the dorsal surface. These are separated 

 from one another by narrow, light lines ab jut the width of a single 

 scale row. On the sides, lateral black spots alternate with the dor- 

 sals. These rows of black spots give the snake more of a black than 

 a light general coloration. The lateral spots are separated by a light 

 spot two or three scales wide. The head above is black ; the first 

 dorsal and lateral spots of the occiput are fused with it into one large 

 black spot. Behind th's the first and also the second may fuse with 

 the lateral ones, forming saddles across the neck region. The gas- 

 trosteges may be narrowly edged with black 



37. Natrix rhombifera (HALLOWELL), As stated above, 

 this snake is just the reverse in coloration to N. f. transvera. One 

 [4350] has twenty-seven and the others [4348, 4357] have twenty-five 

 iwCale rows. All were taken at Fort Smith, Ark. 



Dorsally the large subqvHd rate spots are light brown, separated 

 by a black line, one or two scales broad. The lateral spots are light 

 browa and larger in proportion to the doisal ones tlian the black 

 lateral spots of iV. /. transvera. The lateral light spaces are separated 

 by a narrow black line about one scale broad. I'he connection be- 

 tween the dorsal and the lateral black spots is sometimes obscure or 

 wanting ; in this case they seem to fuse in some places. Tlie pattern 

 of the occiput appears to vary. The upper and lower labials botli 

 more or less distinct;ly edged with Hack. Gastrosteges spotted with 

 black. 



My observations being confined to five specimens, the scale for- 

 mula will very likely be found to vary considerably more than noted 

 here 1 hope, however, that the above may help others to clear up 

 any question in regard to these two forms whose exact relationships 

 to each other are as yet not truly known. Until sufiScient material 

 has been collected, however, we cannot hope for any better results. 



. 38. Olonophiskirtlandii(KENNICOTT). One specimen [4177] 

 taken at Normal, McLean county, Illinois. 



