1907] A Viviparous Snake. 163 



was made for the robber, which was at last discovered between 

 a snow drift and a building in a hole formed by the thawing of 

 the snow beneath. By means of smoke and some poking 

 (which occasioned a very strong odour) a skunk was dislodged 

 and shot. It proved to be a female that would have shortly 

 produced young. It was broadly striped and measured 27 

 inches in length, with an additional three inches of hair on the 

 tail. The weight was seven pounds two ounces. 



A VIVIPAROUS SNAKE. 



On a small island one and a half miles above the Chat Falls, 

 Ottawa River, Mr. E. E. Lemieux on October 1st last, killed a 

 large milk snake {Matrix sipedon) in which he found forty-one 

 young snakes averaging about 8 inches in length. It was killed 

 at 10.30 in the morning when the sun was shining brightly, 

 and when first seen was taking a sun bath quietly coiled up on 

 a flat rock close to the river. It measured four feet from head 

 to tip of tail. It was not skinned until the following morning, 

 when the young snakes were of course all found to be dead. 

 The were coiled singly and crowded together. On the morning 

 of October 3rd another bright day a live young snake of 

 exactly the same size was found under a stone near the same 

 spot, probably one of the same family. 



As this seemed a very late date at which to find the young 

 of this snake still unborn. Dr. Leonard Stejneger, the well known 

 herpetologist was written to and the following is his reply in 

 part : 



"This snake brings forth living young, 40-50 at a time, during 

 the autumn. In New York the records cover a time from August 

 17th to September 30th. Several other snakes of similar habits 

 are known and the births of the young often cover a much longer 

 period. It does not seem probable that the female carries the 

 young over to spring. In the first place I know of no record of 

 very early births of these snakes; second, I know of no record 

 of females having been captured while hibernating which had 

 fully ripe embryos; third, there seems to be no good reason why 

 the young should not go immediately into hibernation them- 

 selves; and further, even if such an abnormally late brood 

 should perish it would mean very little in the economy of so 

 prolific a species." 



In this connection it may be said that there is no foundation 

 in fact for the popvilar belief that female snakes swallow their 

 young when danger threatens. J. M. M. 



