TABLE OF CONTESTS. 



Page. 



Introduction 1 



Genus Lampropeltis 4 



Description 4 



Range 7 



Habitat and habits 7 



Variation 8 



Subdivisions of the genus Lampropeltis 16 



Key to the forms of Lampropeltis 18 



Summary of structural characteristics of the forms of Lampropeltis 24 



The getulus group 26 



Splendida 26 



Holbroold 33 



Niger 43 



Getulus 49 



Floridana 62 



Brooksi 66 



Yumensis 66 



Boylii 75 



Conjuncta 89 



Calif orniae 94 



Nitida 103 



Summary 104 



The calligaster group 115 



Calligaster 115 



Rhomb omaculata 128 



Leonis 138 



Summary 138 



The triangulum group 139 



Polyzona 139 



Micropholis 149 



Nelsoni 155 



Annulata 159 



Gentilis 165 



Amaura 172 



Syspila 179 



Triangulum 188 



Elapsoides 206 



Virginiana 217 



Ruthveni 221 



Multicincta 222 



Pyrrhomelaena 231 



Summary 237 



Isolated forms 245 



Mexicana 245 



Alterna 247 



Conclusion 249 



Bibliography 255 



Index 259 



IV 



