34 
Transactions Texas Academy of Science. 
light line; superciliary stripe from superciliary directly through the 
angle of the mouth. 
General style of coloration somewhat as in Crotalus adamanteus . 
Ground color above, dull yellowish brown, with a series of subhexagonal 
patches from the head nearly to the tail, in an uninterrupted series,, 
separated throughout by narrow lines. We may refer the marking to the 
intersection of two series of light yellowish lines, about forty in number, 
crossing obliquely from each side across to the other, along the anterior 
half of as many oblique series of scales. The lateral decussation is along 
the sixth row of dorsal scales ; on the back, where they cross, the lines are 
confluent for a breadth of five or six scales, making a series of transverse 
lines across the back, truncating the obtuse angles of the rhomboids, 
which otherwise would be produced. Sometimes the acute lateral angles 
of the rhomboids are also truncated. Laterally the yellowish lines are 
more or less obsolete, leaving a more or less distinct chain pattern. The 
rhomboids or subrhomboids inclosed have a narrow margin of dark 
brown, lighter towards the center. In all cases the interval between the 
successive rhomboids is but one or two half scales in width. The lateral 
rhomboids and triangle referred to in Crotalus adamanteus are indicated 
by two alternating series of dark brown blotches, the first along the third 
and fourth lateral row, opposite the apices of the rhomboids; the second 
along the sixth and seventh, and alternating with the same; the spots 
occupy one scale, or part of four contiguous ones. Space between these 
rhomboids and the yellowish lines, dull yellowish brown. Beneath nearly 
uniform yellowish, slightly clouded on the sides of the scales. On the 
tail the blotches are confluent into three or six dark brown half rings, 
interrupted on the surface. General distribution of lines on the head 
much as in Crotalus adamanteus ; a narrow line from the posterior end 
of superciliary backward directly to the angle of the mouth; a second 
from the anterior extremity, nearly parallel with the first, the two inclos- 
ing an indistinct patch and separated on the labial by four and one-half 
scales. There is also a single light line across the superciliary, perpen- 
dicular to its length, obsolete in old specimens. 
It may be readily distinguished from C. adamanteus by its light color 
and the truncations of the rhomboids, as well as the general obsoleteness 
of the lateral markings. The rhomboids are longer in proportion and 
more rounded. The two lateral rows of scales are smooth, the next two 
more strongly carinated than in Crotalus adamanteus. The fifth upper 
labial is largest, and transverse, the rest nearly uniform. The stripes 
on the side of the head are less distinct. 
From Crotalus confluentus it may be distinguished by the greater com- 
parative size of the interval between the dorsal blotches, especially pos- 
teriorly. In Crotalus confluen tus there are two light lines across the 
