REVISION OF THE KING SNAKES. 21 



(/*■*. Dorsal whitish bands usually distinctly widened 

 on the first row of scales, or the scale rows 

 anteriorly not more than 17. 



y^. Black practically uniform over 

 the head, except for the 

 snout region, which is more 

 or less lightened, at least on 

 the sides; scale rows an- 

 teriorly^ more than 17. 

 z^. Whitish annuli or cross 

 bands 25 to 40; black 

 often strongly encroach- 

 ing upon the red on the 

 middorsal line. 



gentilis, p. 165. 

 2^. Whitish annuli or cross 

 bands 18 to 25; black show- 

 ing not more than a slight 

 tendency to encroach up- 

 on the red areas on the 

 middorsal line. 



omaura, p. 172. 

 (Lower Mississippi Val- 

 ley.) 

 j/2. Black of head practically re- 

 stricted to posterior portion, 

 or to various black-edged 

 light markings. 

 kn^. Usually a single anterior 

 temporal; scale form- 

 ula usually 17-19-17, 

 rarely higher than 19- 

 17. 

 &6^ Red areas continuous 

 across the belly. 

 elapsoides, p. 20Q. 

 (North Carolina 

 and Kentucky, south 

 to New Orleans, and 

 throughout Florida.) 

 hh^. Red not continuous 

 across the belly, but 

 restricted to black- 

 bordered dorsal sad- 

 dles that extend up- 

 on the ventrals. 

 virginiana , p . 217 . 

 (Northern North 

 Carolina to Dele- 

 ware.) 



