14 
U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS-ROUTE IN CALIFORNIA. 
Gen. Obs. —Resembles Tropidonotus concinnus but wants the orange-colored spots and the 
lateral vittce. Very abundant about ponds, and on the banks of the Cosumnes and other rivers 
in California. On being approached, quickly dives to the bottom of the stream, or makes its 
appearance on the opposite side, keeping its head above water. One of the most common 
snakes in California. 
CORONELLA, Laurenti. 
CORONELLA BALTEATA. 
Char. —Head small and stout, outline ovoid, depressed above, covered with nine plates ; eyes 
projecting, internasals smaller than prefrontals ; nostrils between two plates ; a small frenal ; 
one large antocular, two posterior oculars, seven superior labials on each side, the eye resting 
on the tliiid and fourth ; neck contracted, body slender, cylindrical, thicker near the middle ; 
tail rather short, and tapering gradually to a point; twenty-three rows of smooth hexagonal 
scales ; a series of about thirty narrow yellowish white fascia?, alternating with as many dark 
colored blotches, which are continuous with similarly colored markings upon the abdomen ; the 
dark colored blotches occupy from five to seven rows of scales, the transverse yellow fascia? one 
and a half rows; a dark colored blotch upon the head and anterior part of the neck, commencing 
at the posterior margin of the prefrontals ; three small yellow spots, one at the posterior margin 
of each occipital, the third larger and about a line apart from the others ; the plates which 
cover the muzzle, anterior and posterior oculars, and labials, yellow, margined with black ; 
cbin, throat, and interspaces upon abdomen and under part of tail between the dark colored 
markings, yellowish ; the markings of the tail resemble those upon the body, but have the form 
of bands, tbe black spots being somewhat more regularly disposed. 
Abdom. scuta, 234 ; sub caud., 51. 
Dimensions. —Length of head, 9 lines ; greatest breadth, 5| ; length of body, 1 foot 7 inches 
3 lines ; length of tail, 2 inches 9 lines ; total length, 1 foot 10 inches 9 lines ; greatest circum¬ 
ference, 1 inch 6 lines. 
Dimensions of a larger specimen.— Length of head, 8 lines ; greatest breadth, 6^ ; length of 
body, 2 feet 4 inches ; of tail, 4 inches 4| lines ; total length, 2 feet 9 inches ; circumference, 
2 inches 3 lines. 
Abdom. scuta, 225 ; sub caud., 57. 
Gen. Obs. —Found in valleys and open prairies ; grows to a much larger size than either of 
the specimens, (4 feet in length;) very abundant, often killed by travellers, and found lying on 
the roadside ; disposition timid, always endeavoring to escape its pursuers. 
PITYOPHIS, Holbrook. 
PITYOPIIIS VERTEBRALIS. 
Syn. — Coluber vertebralis, Blainville. Nouvelles Annales du Musee, T. IY, p. 293, (pi. 27, 
fig. 2.) 
Coluber cateni/er? Blainville. Nouvelles Annales du Musee, T. IV, p. 290, (pi. 26, fig. 2.) 
Pilyophis Heermanni. —Proceed. Acad. Nat. Sciences, January, 1853, p. 236. 
