56 SYNOPSES AND DESCRIPTIONS. 



var. vulpinus. 

 Light brown, more or less red or gray, with broad quadrate blotches of 

 chocolate or brown. Series of scales 25. Michigan and adjacent States. 



Elaphls QUADRIVITTATUS. 



Coluber quadrivittatus Holbmok, 1842, If. A. Herp. Ill, 89. 

 Edaphis quadrivittatus Dum. & Bibr., 1854, Erp. Gen. VII, 265. 



Elongate, compressed, angled at .the sides ; neck small ; head distinct 

 elongate, tapering regularly to the moderately broad snout; crown flat; 

 tail short, near one fifth of the total, tapering. Eye moderate, over the 

 fourth and fifth labials, pupil round. Mouth-cleft deep, curved. Head- 

 shields nine, broad. Frontal broader anteriorly. Prefrontals bent down 

 on the face. Internasals much smaller than prefrontals. Rostral large, 

 broad. Nasal in two parts, nostril between. A loreal.. Anteorbital large. 

 Two postorbitals. Temporals 2+3. Labials eight, seventh largest. In- 

 fralabials eleven, second small, sixth largest. Submentals two pairs, 

 hinder smaller and separated by small scales. Scales lozenge-shaped. 

 Extremity rounded, in 27 rows, dorsal faintly keeled, lateral with faint 

 keels, two or more of the outer broader and smooth. Ventrals 238. 

 Anal bifid. Subcaudals 95. 



Light yellowish-red (tinged with green anteriorly), with four longitudinal 

 bands of brownish-red. The bands occupy the third to the fifth and the 

 tenth to the twelfth rows on each side. Belly mottled with brownish-red. 

 These colors occupy only the epiderm ; that taken off, the markings appear 

 as in .the species guttatus. The head is uniform yellowish-red, with a faint 

 tinge of green, but on close observation the outlines of the head-bands can 

 be readily traced. A specimen before me, secured by Prof. J. A. Allen in 

 Florida, has the colors of quadrivittatus, bands and all, and at the same time 

 the black-margined spots and shorter tail of 0. guttatus. 



Dromicus. 



Bibron, 1843. 



Body somewhat slender, rounded; head distinct from the neck, long, 

 ovoid, crown flat; tail tapering. Eye medium, pupil round. Posterior 

 maxillary teeth longer, smooth. A loreal, in one species united with pre- 

 frontal. Crown-shields nine. Nasal in two parts. Orbitals 1 — 2. Scales 



