222 BULLETIN 114, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



LAMPROPELTIS MULTICINCTA (Yarrow). 



CORAL KIXG SNAKE; RING SNAKE; RED MILK SNAKE; HARLEQUIN SNAKE, 



Fig. 75. 



1876. Bellophis zonatus Lockington, Proc. California Acad. Sci., vol. 7, May 1, 

 p. 52 (type locality, northern California^).— CoroneZZa 2onaia Boulenger, 

 Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus., vol. 2, 1894, p. 202. — Lampropeltis zonata Van 

 Denburgh, Occ. Papers California Acad. Sci., vol. 5, 1897, p. 167, fig. 

 p. 168.— McLain, Coll. Kept. W. Coast U. S., 1899, p. 11.— Meek, Field 

 Columb. MuB. Pub., 104, vol. 7, no. 1, 1906, p. 15. — OpUbolus zonatus 

 DiTMARS, Reptile Book, p. 357, pi. 103, figs. 7, 10, pi. 107 (middle fig.). 



1882. Ophibolus getulus multidnctus Yarrow, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 5, p. 

 440 (type locality, Fresno, California; type specimen, U. S. Nat. Mus., 

 no. 11753; G. Eisen, collector); Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., no. 24, 1882, 

 p. 94. 



1886. Coronella multifasdata Bocourt, Miss. Sci. Mex., pt. 3, p. 616, pi. 40, figs. 2, 

 2a-2c (type locality, California; type specimen in Paris Museum; M. de 

 Cessac, collector). 



1900. Ophibolus getulus boylii Cope (part), Rep. U. S. Nat. Mus. for 1898, p. 921. 



1902. Lampropeltis pyrrhomelaena multicincta Stejneger, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 

 vol. 25, p. 153. — Grinnell and Grinnell, Throop Inst. Bull., no. 35, 

 1907, p. 39, fig. 16.— Grinnell, Univ. California Publ. Zool., vol. 5, 

 no. 1, 1908, p. 165.— Atsatt, Univ. California Publ. Zool., vol. 12, no. 3, 

 p. 41. — Grinnell and Camp, Univ. California Publ. Zool., vol. 17, no. 

 10, 1917, p. 184. — Stejneger and Barbour, Check List, 1917, p. 89. — 

 Lampropeltis pyromelana multidncta Hall and Grinnell, Proc. Cali- 

 fornia Acad. Sci., ser. 4, vol. 9, no. 2, 1919, p. 60. 



As Stejneger has already shown (1902, 153) the Coluber (Zacholus) 

 zonatus of Blamviile (1835, 293) is of too uncertain identity for its 

 name to be used for the present form. Therefore, although no 

 specific rule applies in this case, it is in the interest of stability to 

 ignore the name as revived by Lockington. 



Description. — Forty-nine specimens of this form have been exam- 

 ined. Their scutellation is as follows: Ventrals, 202 to 222; caudals, 

 45 to 61 (males, 45 to 61, average, 55; females, 46 to 56, average 52); 

 supralabials, 7, very rarely 8; infralabials, 9, rarely 10 or 8; preocu- 

 lars, 1, very rarely 2; postoculars, 2; temporals, 2+3-1-4, infre- 

 quently 1 less in any row; posterior chin shields as long as anterior, 

 or but little shorter, in contact or separated by one or two small 

 scales; loreal longer than high, rarely absent; scale rows on middle of 

 body usually 23, sometimes only 21, rarely 25. 



In proportions this form differs somewhat from the varieties of 

 triangulum in having the head a little more distinct from the neck, 

 but less so than in pyrrTiomelaena, in having a proportionately some- 

 what longer and blunter snout, and in having a longer tail. The latter 



6 Dr. John Van Denburgh, of the California Academy of Sciences writes: "Ecgarding the types of Lock- 

 ington's Bellophis zonatus I can state that they were two in number and were labeled Santa Barbara, but 

 I)robably were collected in the mountains near there, and that they were in the Academy's collection imtil 

 destroyed by the great fire in April, 1906." 



