1915.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 157 



the granules of the latter. These 42 eggs average |f (30 mm.) x 

 ^f (21 mm.) inches and are not far advanced in development. 



Food. — We can hardly hold that the black forms eat frogs and 

 toads and that the light ones will refuse frogs. Of course, if one 

 grants the more moist situations for the dark phase, such a differen- 

 tiation of diet preference might possibly occur. Our specimens 

 preferred toads. Three had each a southern toad {Bufo lentiginosus^ 

 lentiginosus) in their stomachs. Another had eaten three southern 

 toads, two full grown and one half grown. Three had partaken of 

 beetles and two had taken grasshoppers. 



Parasites. — Fourteen of the 21 adults had parasites in their stom- 

 achs or intestines. Sometimes the sole contents of the alimentary 

 tract might be a bundle of parasites ; in individual cases the stomach 

 would be absolutely filled with them. No snake compares with the 

 spreading adder as a host for these animals, and it may be due largely 

 to its strong Anuran diet. 



4. Opheodrys sestivus (Linnaeus): Green Snake; Southern Green Snake ; Keeled Green Snake; 

 Rough Green Snake; Green Whip Snake; Magnolia Snake; Summer Snake; Green 

 Summer Snake. Fig. 7 



Three specimens of this species were secured from Billy's Island, 

 on June 5, 1912, and the other two from July 15-November 1, 1912. 



Coloration. — This species is bright green above and usually yel- 

 lowish-white below and on the labials. In two of our specimens 

 the green of the back extends across the caudal two-thirds of each 

 gastrostege, but the chin and the labials are more or less yellowish- 

 white. 



6100 6240 6143 



:o^i^ (^^Z 



^^^ 6249 6143 



Fig. 7. — Left and middle figures Lampropeltis doliatus coccineus. Right-hand 



figui'es Opheodrys cestivus (Linn.) 



Dimensions and Variations. — The total length varies from 31.2- 

 68.1 cm.; the tail, from 12.0-26.7 cm., or 2.5-2.6 times in the total 

 length; the gastrosteges are from 151-160; the urosteges, 130-148; 

 anal divided, in No. 6,233, the ventral plate ahead divided and one 

 of the halves also horizontally subdivided; scales 17-17-15; loreal 



