200 COITTBEID^. 



Body cj'lindrical ; scales smooth, without pits, in 15 to 25 rows ; 

 ventrals rounded or obtusely angulate laterally. Tail moderate or 

 long ; subcaudals in two rows. 

 Tropical America, Mexico, Texas. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. Scales in 15 rows ; ventrals 172-204; subcaudals 38-61 ; seven 



upper labials 1. cesculapii, p. 200. 



II. Scales in 17 rows ; ventrals 166-173 ; subcaudals 50 or more ; 



seven upper labials. 



Loreal as long as deep 2. decipiens, p. 204. 



Loreal much longer than deep 3. grammophrys, p. 204. 



III. Scales in 19 rows ; ventrals 120-143 ; subcaudals 67-94. 



Seven upper labials; frontal nearly as 



broad as long ; loreal square 4. lateritius, p. 205. 



Eight or nine upper labials; frontal 



much longer than broad ; loreal deeper 



than long 5. dromiciformis, p. 205. 



Eight (exceptionally seven) upper labials; 



frontal longer than broad 6. imperialis, p. 206, 



IV. Scales in 21 rows ; ventrals 117-142 ; subcaudals 64-94 ; 

 eight upper labials. 



Internasals more than half the length 



of the prsefrontals 7. fissidens, p. 207. 



Internasals not more than half the length 



of the prsefrontals 8. hipunctatus, p. 208. 



V. Scales in 25 rows ; ventrals 158-169 ; subcaudals 82-93 ; 



eight upper labials 9. piceivittis, p. 209. 



1. Erythrolamprus aesculapii. _/, 



Coluber sesculapii, Linn. Mus. Ad. Frid. p. 29, pi. xi. fig. 2 (1754), 



fl!»d<S'.^i.~p.-380 (1766) ; Duvernoy, Ann. Sc. Nat. xxvi, 1832, 



p. 161, and xxx. 1833, p. 15, pi. iv. fig. A. 



agilis, Linn. II. cc. p. 27, pi. xxi. fig. 2, and p. 381. 



Natrix sesculapii, Laur. 8yn. Mept. p. 76 (1768). 



Coluber nigrofasciatus, Lacip. Serp. it. pp. 98 & 188 (1789). 



atrocinctus, Davd. Rept. vi. p. 389 (1803). 



veniistissimus, Wied, Seise Bras. ii. p. 76 (1821), and Abbild. 



(1825). 



binatus, Lichf. Verz. Bouhl. p. 105 (1823). 



Elaps venuatissimus, Wagl. in Spix, Serp. Bras. p. 6, pi. ii. a. fig. 2 



(1824). 

 Coronella venustissima, Schleg. Phys. Serp. ii. p. 63, pi. ii. figs. 1-3 



(1837). 

 Erythrolamprus sesculapii, Dum. 8f Bibr. vii. p. 845 (1854) ; Cope, 



Proc. Ac. Philad. 1860, p. 259 ; Jan, Arch. Zool. Anat. Phys. ii. 



1863, p. 315, and Icon. 04n. 19, pi. ii. figs. 2 & 3 (1866) ; Giinth. 



Biol. C.-Am., Sept. p. 166 (1895). 



