32 
Transactions Texas Academy of Science. 
ones towards the center of the intermediate space. Three rows of scales 
between the snborbitals and labials. Suborbitals extending to the mid- 
dle of the orbit. Labials fifteen, or sixteen above ; first, fifth and seventh 
largest and vertical ; below, eighteen ; first, fourth and fifth largest. Dor- 
sal rows, twenty-seven, outer rows obsoletely carinated. Three or four 
dark rings on tail. Three series of well defined perfect rhombs, one dor- 
sal, two lateral, separated by narrow lines. Light stripe from supercil- 
iary to the angle of the mouth. 
Scales on the cheek smooth. Three rather large plates on the edge of 
the upper part of the head, between the superciliaries (supraoculars) 
and rostral, inside of which is a second row of three, also larger than the 
rest. The two lower rows of lateral scales smooth. Third and fourth 
very faintly carinated. Scales on the back and side not conspicuously 
different in size except the lower two or three rows. Posteriorly, near 
the tail, all the scales are carinated except the lowest. General color, 
yellowish gray, with rhomboidal black blotches, lighter in the center, and 
with the angles perfect. Or rather there is a series of dull yellowish 
lines crossing obliquely from one side of the abdomen to the other over 
the back, following the oblique series of scales, and occupying generally 
the posterior half of each scale, the basal portion being black. These 
lines of which there are about thirty-six, crossing from each side, from 
head to tail (nine on tail), decussate first on the fifth and sixth lateral 
row, and then on the back, where they are more or less confluent three or 
four rows. The rhomboids thus inclosed and crossing the back are gen- 
erally black for one and a half or two scales within the yellowish lines, 
and the most central portion is dark yellowish brown, mottled with 
darker. The intervals on the sides between the lines are mostly dark, 
yellowish brown, minutely mottled with dark brown. These intervals 
constitute a lateral series of transverse rhomboids, sometimes with the 
lower angle truncated. Opposite to the dorsal rhomboids is a series of 
small triangles in the angle of the first decussation. The distance 
between two parallel transverse stripes generally consist of five rows of 
scales, occasionally of six. 
On the sides and posteriorly these markings are more or less indistinct, 
though generally recognizable. The tail usually exhibits a good deal of 
black with under part of dull yellowish white, or greenish white clouded 
towards the side with brown; no regular spots visible. The black on the 
tail does not constitute complete rings but is interrupted in the middle 
of the lower surface, and in fact the black patches alternate with each 
other and are not opposite. 
The top of the head is light brown, with occasional black scales. A 
dull yellowish streak starts at the posterior edge of the superciliary plate, 
and passing obliquely backward, through two rows of scales, extends to 
