208 



The occiput is crossed by a black band (fig. 58) that may extend 

 forward between the eyes. The snout is reddish and immaculate. 

 Behind the occipital black band is a yellow collar, and behind this 

 is another black band which is generally interrupted on the throat. 

 The chin is a mingled red and ^^ellow passing into yellow on the throat. 



The actual colors of an adult specimen from Florida are as follows 

 (color names from Ridgway, 1912) : Morocco red above, changing 

 to a dragon's blood red below; encircled by narrow bands of a baryta 

 yellow on the sides, slightly deeper chrome above and paler below, 

 which are bordered with black, the latter becoraing blackish brown 

 below. On the occiput a sooty black band; snout a claret brown; 

 labials, morocco red mingled with a little yellow, anterior and pos- 

 terior edges black; chin and throat, mingled Morocco red and pale 

 martin's yellow. First yellow ring conspicuously mottled with red, 

 succeeding ones slightly so down to the second or third row of scales 



Fig. 58.— Lampropeltis elapsoides elapsoides (U.S.N.M. no. 55903, St. John County, Florida). 

 About 2§ x nat. size. Showing typical pattern of anterior end of body. 



(the red in minute flecks on the yellow). Iris, Morocco red; pupil 

 black; tongue Morocco red, or browner. 



The dentition, as based upon examination of eight specimens, is as 

 follows: Maxillaries, 13, 12, or 14, subequal, the last two slightly 

 larger; mandibulars, 12 to 14, the third, fourth, and fifth the largest, 

 decreasing decidedly behind, the greatest space between the fourth 

 and fifth; palatines, 11, 10, or 12, subequal; pterygoids, 17 to 23 

 (except that a specimen from Raleigh, North Carolina, has 26 and 

 27), smaller than the palatines, and decreasing posteriorly. 



The copulatory organ may be described as follows: Bilobed (but 

 not forked) ; sulcus single, and extending over the side of the larger 

 lobe. A small space at the distal end of the organ may be practically 

 free of calyces, or exhibit only ridges of the latter extending across 

 it. Calyces not numerous ; fringes few, extending distinctly, although 

 only a little, below the end of the organ before changing to spines. 

 The latter numerous, closely set together, increasing gradually in 

 size to about the middle of the organ, then getting smaller again, 

 but not abruptly so. Tlius the spines extend more than half way 

 to the base, sometimes nearly all of the way. Unless the organ was 

 fully everted when the specimen was fresh, but little more will be 

 made out than that it has a few calyces at the extreme distal end, 



