EEVISIOlSr OF THE KING SNAKES. 43 



LAMPROPELTIS GETULUS NIGER (Yarrow). 



Fig. 33. 



1837. Herpetodryas getulus Schlegel, Phys. Serp., p. 198. 



1882. Ophibolus getulus niger Yarrow, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 5, p. 438 (type 

 locality, Wheatland, Indiana; cotypes, U. S. Nat. Mus., no. 12149 — two 

 specimens; Robert Ridgway, collector); Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., no. 24, 

 1882, p. 93.— Hay, Joum. Cincinnati Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 10, no. 2, 1887, 

 p. 64.— Garman, Bull. IlliLcie State Lab. Nat. Hist., vol. 3, art. 13, 1892 

 p. 299.— Hay, Batr. Rept. of Indiana, 1893, p. 111.— Cope, Rep. U. S. 

 Nat. Mus. for 1898, 19C0, p. 917, fig. 228.— Brown, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 

 Philadelphia. 1901, p. 77. 



1887. Ophibolus niger Hay, 36th Annual Rep. State Board Agri. Indiana for 1886, 

 vol. 28, p. 210. 



1891. Ophibolus getulus sayi Blatchley, Journ. Cincinnati Soc. Nat. Hist., 1891, 

 p. 32; 24th Ann. Rep. Dept. Geol. Nat. Res. Indiana, 1899, p. 545. 



1893. Ophibolus doliatus, var sayi Hay, Batr. Rept. State Indiana, p. 110. 



1894. Ophibolus getulus Garman, H., Bull. Essex Inst., vol. 26, nos. 1, 2, 3, p. 35. 



The status of this form has never been settled, and the specimens 

 available for study are still too few. The writer, however, believes it 

 to be entitled to the rank of subspecies, but should fuller material 

 prove it to be but a local or inconstant variation of Jiolbroolci, its name 

 will have to supersede the latter, a change by no means to be desired. 



Description. — ^The scutellation of the 32 specimens examined is as 

 follows: ventral plates, 199 to 216; caudals, 41 to 53 (males, 46 to 53, 

 average 50; females, 41 to 47, average 43); supralabials, 7 ; inf ralabials, 

 9, rarely 8 or 10; 1 preocular, 2 postoculars; temporals usually 2+3+4; 

 posterior chin shields generally shorter than the anterior and separated 

 from each other b}^ one or two small scales; loreal higher than long, 

 or about as high as long; scale formula usually 19-21-19. 



The bodily proportions are the same as for liolbrooki and getulus. 

 The tail varies from 0.110 to 0.146 of the total length (males, 0.120 

 to 0.146, average 0.133; females, 0.110 to 0.128, average 0.120). 

 The largest specimen examined was the type — 1,431 millimeters in 

 length. 



The color pattern (fig. 33) is a reduction from that of holhroolci by 

 obliteration of the yellow centers on the scales of the dark areas on 

 the back, and contraction in size of all the other light spots. This 

 leaves the dorsal surface black, crossed by 50 to 90 very narrow cross- 

 bands of yellow, which tend to fork on the sides and there join an 

 alternating series of short, narrow transverse bars. Occasionally the 

 crossbands on the back may have nearly or quite disappeared, or 

 sometimes the white spots between the bands may be somewhat 

 developed. The lower rows of dorsa.1 scales are more or less spotted 

 with yellow. The belly is checked with black and white or yellow, 

 the black sometimes predominating. The spotting on the head is 

 186550— 21— Bull. 114 4 



