The Striped Snakes Garter Snakes 



THE SINGLE-STRIPED GARTER SNAKE 

 Eutcenia elegans variety infernalis, (Cope) 



This is a fairly distinct, showy reptile, but very closely 

 related to the typical form. In size it is exactly like the latter 

 and the scalation is the same. 



Colouration. Olive or blackish, with a rich orange-yellow 

 stripe on the back. There are no traces of stripes on the sides. The 

 abdomen is olive, with a central row of yellow blotches, becoming 

 narrower and disappearing toward the tail. The throat is bright 

 yellow. 



Young specimens of this variety show fairly distinct greenish 

 stripes upon the sides, a character demonstrating the very close 

 relationship to the typical form. 



Dimensions. Total Length 26 inches. 



Length of Jail 6 



Greatest Diameter f 



Width of Head f " 



Length of Head. . . ij 



Distribution. California. 



Habits. Were it not for the remarkable actions exhibited 

 by serpents of the colouration of this variety, the writer would 

 be tempted to consider the present reptile as but a phase of 

 the typical form. From the latter its habits are different and 

 quite eccentric at least as regards its activity and methods 

 of locomotion. It progresses in a rapid series of close, S-shaped 

 movements and generally in an oblique direction to that in which 

 the head is pointing an evolution performed, though at a greatly 

 reduced speed, by the "side-winder" rattlesnake. While mak- 

 ing off in this fashion, if the snake is closely pursued, it will 

 actually leap forward, for a distance of nearly a foot, by suddenly 

 straightening the body. The writer has repeatedly noted the 

 habit of these snakes of leaping from their cage when it is opened, 

 throwing the body forward in a straight position, then making 

 off over the floor at such a gait that it required some agility to 

 catch them. The oblique method of progression at such times 

 is almost uncanny. Of a large number of specimens, comprising 

 three separate shipments, all displayed the same agile move- 

 ments. They fed voraciously upon small toads and occasionally 

 upon frogs, but exhibited a decided liking for the former. A 



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