GROUND OR WORM SNAKE. 699 
to commissural line of occipitals ; temporal shields well developed ; frontal plates in two 
pairs; nostril in anterior part of nasal plate; rostral rounded anteriorly; loral quad- 
trilateral, entering the orbit; postorbital rhomboidal; upper labials, five, lower, six; 
eyes over the third and fourth labial; urosteges, 120-132. Length, 11 inches; head, 44 
lines; tail, 14 inches; transverse diameter of head, 2% lines; of neck, 22 lines; circum- 
ference of body, 1 inch. 
Habitat, Massachusetts?, New York, Pennsyivania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, 
North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Illinois, Western Missouri, and Ohio. 
This species is inserted here upon the authority of Dr. J. M. Wheaton, 
of Columbus, who informs me that some years ago a specimen was cap- 
tured by Prof. Tuttle, at Ironton, on the bank of the Ohio river. The 
animal was sent to the Smithsonian Institution, hence its absence from 
the collection which that gentleman soe kindly placed in my hands. Dr. 
Wheaton, however, informs me that it had the peculiarity of a single 
pair of frontals. This would make it correspond, in that respect at least, 
to Carphophis helene which is probably only a variety of C. amenus. 
The following species of Ophidians, though not yet reported from the State, have such 
@ range as to render their oceurrence in our fauna possible: 
Farancia abacura, Holb. 
BAIRD and GIRARD, Cat., p. 123. 
Habitat, South Carolina and Louisiana, and according to Nelson, Illinois. 
Abastor erythrogrammus, Daud. 
BAIRD and GIRARD, Cat., p. 125. 
Habitat, North Carolina and Georgia, to Alabama, and Nelson says, Illinois. 
Virginia valerie, Baird and Girard. 
BaIrD and GIRARD, Cat, p. 127. 
Habitat, Maryland and North Carolina, to Illinois. 
Virginia elegans, Kenn. 
Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, p. 99. 
Habitat, Illinois to Arkansas. 
Carphophis helene, Kenn. 
Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila , 1859, p. 100; 
Habitat, Illinois and Tennessee, to Mississippi. 
Carphophis vermis, Kenn. 
Proc, Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, p. 99. 
Habitat, Missouri, Kansas. 
Ophibolus getulus, var. sayt, Holb. 
BAIRD and GIRARD, Cat., p. 84. 
Habitat, [linois, Missouri, Arkansas, to Mississippi and Louisiana. 
