

9<S SYNOPSES AND DESCRIPTIONS. 



anterior portion of the divided nasal. Nine head-shields. Rostral very 

 small, not reaching the top of the head. Two internasals (left smaller in 

 each specimen). Loreal elongate, with the prefrontal forming the anterior 

 border of the orbit. Prefrontals as broad as long. One postorbital. Tem- 

 porals 1-f 1. Labials five, third and fourth in orbit, fifth largest. Infra- 

 labials six, fifth largest. Posterior submentals half as large as the anterior. 

 Scales carinate, lustrous, in 17 rows, dorsal narrow, outer broad and faintly 

 keeled. Ventrals 125 — 129. Anal divided. Subcaudals 36 pairs. 



Uniform brownish olive on the dorsal rows. No band on the occiput. 

 Ventrals whitish, tinged with olive on the bases. Largest specimen total 

 length 10 x 3 2 inches; tail 1, 9 ? inches. Texas, 



Virginia elegans. 



Kennicott, 1859, Pr. Ac. N. Sc., Phil., 99. 



"Resembles V. valeriae; vertical and occipital plates narrower. Dorsal 

 scales very narrow and elongated, much more so than in V. valeriae, dis- 

 posed in 17 rows. 



" Color uniform light olivaceous brown above; dull yellowish white beneath. 

 Readily distinguished from the nearly allied V. valeriae by the narrower 

 dorsal scales in 17 rows instead of 15 as in that species," Southern Illinois 

 and southward, 



Virginia valeriae, pi. VII, fig. 3. 



Baird & Girard, 1853, Cat. N. A. Serp., 127. 



Moderate, subcylindrical, belly broad; head small, elongate, little larger 

 than the neck, subelliptical ; tail short, tapering to a point. Eye medium, 

 over third and fourth labials, pupil round. Mouth -cleft deep, nearly 

 straight. Snout narrow. Rostral erect, as broad as high. Nasal divided, 

 nostril in anterior portion. No loreal. Internasals two. Prefrontals broad, 

 entering the orbit. One elongate preocular, loreal and ocular united. Post- 

 oculars two (1 to 3). Temporals 1 — 2, anterior in a notch between the 

 fifth and sixth labials. Frontal broad, subhexangular. Parietals elongate. 

 Labials six, fifth and sixth larger. Infralabials six, fourth largest. Sub- 

 mentals two pairs, posterior rather larger. Scales smooth, or with a weak 

 keel on those of hinder portion of the body, in 15- rows, dorsal broad, 

 rhomboid, outer broader. Ventrals broad, 117 — 128. Anal bifid. Sub- 

 caudals 24 to 37 pairs. 



