Exploration of the Red River of Louisiana, in the year 1852 / by Randolph B. Marcy ; assisted by George B. McClellan. Page: 212 of 368
xv, 286 p., [65] p. of plates (1 fold.) : ill., maps ; 24 cm.View a full description of this book.
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196
APPENDIX F.--REPTILESIV.
PITUOPHIS, Holbr.
This genus, closely allied to Heterodon, is characterized by a prominent
snout, the rostral plate elevated and convex, without, however, being
recurved. There are two pairs of postfrontal plates instead of one, and
occasionally also two verticals; three or four postorbitals; generally two,
sometimes only one anteriorly. The scales are carinated along the
back, smooth on the sides, and constituting from 29-35 dorsal rows.
The preanal or postabdominal scutellie is entire.
The ground-colors are either whitish or reddish yellow, with a triple
series of patches, those of the medial series the largest, and several
series of smaller blotches on the sides. Abdomen unicolor or spotted,
with an outer row of blotches. Head of same color as the body, maculated
with black spots. A narrow band of black across the upper surface
between the eyes, and a postocular vitta on each side, extending
obliquely from the eye down to the angle of the mouth. A black vertical
patch is often seen beneath the eye.
The names of Bull, Pine, and Pilot snake are commonly given to
different species of this genus, which are all of great size, including in
fact some of the largest serpents of North America. Some of the
species utter a hissing or blowing sound.
5. PITUOPHIS McCLELLANII, B. postorbitals 4. Dorsal rows 33-35; the 7 outer rows
smooth. Tail forming 1-9 or 1-10 of total length. Postocular vitta
brown, and rather broad. Suborbital black patch conspicuous; commissure
of labials black. Color of body reddish yellow, with a series of
53 blotches from head to origin of tail. Blotches of adjoining series,
on either side, confluent across the light spaces between medial blotches.
Flanks covered with small blotches, forming 3 or 4 indistinct series.
Twelve transverse jet-black bars across the tail. Abdomen yellowish,
thickly maculated with black patches.
SYN.--Pituophis McClellanii, B.
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Marcy, Randolph Barnes. Exploration of the Red River of Louisiana, in the year 1852 / by Randolph B. Marcy ; assisted by George B. McClellan., book, 1854; Washington, DC. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth6105/m1/212/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.