364; NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



while not a single record has been obtained from the southern tier 

 of counties adjacent to the Pennsylvania border. In view of the 

 number of educational institutions and local scientific societies in 

 New York state, it seems curious that so little attention has been 

 paid to this question. Data on the subject will be very acceptable 

 to the author, who will also be glad to identify specimens sent 

 to the state museum. Directions for collecting will be found in 

 another section of this bulletin (p. 407). 



Key to genera 



The following artificial key to the families and genera of the 

 species of snakes occurring in the area discussed is based on 

 structural characters, often of slight systematic value, and follows 

 closely the lines of the generic key in Jordan ('99). 



COLUBRIDAE 

 A. No pit between eye and nostril; upper jaw with small teeth; neck not con- 

 stricted; headmore or less elongate; top of head covered with plates; form, 

 in general, slender 

 a Dorsal scales carinated 



1) Anal plate entire 



a) Scales in 19-21 rows E u t a e n i a (p. 381) 



b) Scales in 27-31 rows P i t y o p h i s (p. 373) 



2) Anal plate bifid 



a) Scales in 15-17 rows 



* Tail one third or more of total length . Cyclophis(p. 369) 

 ** Tail less than one third of total length. . Stor e ria (p. 380} 



b) Scales in 19-27 rows 



* Rostral recurved; scales in 25 rows. . Heterodon(p. 368) 

 ** Rostral not recurved; gastrosteges less 



than 170 Natrix (p. 376) 



*** Rostral not recurved; gastrosteges 



more than 170 , C o 1 u b e r (p. 371) 



b Dorsal scales smooth 



1) Anal plate entire 



a) Head flattened O s c e o 1 a (p. 374)' 



b) Head conical Ophibolus(p. 375> 



2) Anal plate bifid 



a) Scales in 17 rows Z a m e n i s (p. 370) 



b) Scales in 13 rows; head not distinct. . C a r p h op hi o p s (p. 366) 



c) Scales in 15 rows; superior labials 8 Diadophis(p. 367} 



d) Scales in 15 rows; superior labials 7 Li o p el t i s (p. 369> 



