184 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [Mar., 



Coloration. — The specimens at hand all correspond very closely 

 with T. sirtalis ordinatus (Linnaeus), though our use of the sub- 

 specific name above does not commit us to full recognition of the 

 worth of this subspecies. The lateral stripe is absent or very indis- 

 tinct in one or two specimens. The dorsal stripe is very distinct in 

 only one specimen (No. 6,221). In all the others it is entirely absent 

 or indistinct. In some specimens the three rows of spots of each 

 side show very beautifully; on the venter the snakes are bluish-gray, 

 except for the throat and chin which are yellowish-white. There is a 

 black spot near the end of each gastrostege. In some specimens 

 the cephalic gastrostegal borders are black and thus connect the 

 gastrostegal spot of either end of the gastrostege. In two specimens 

 these spots are practically absent or obscured. One example, the 

 largest, is melanistic in appearance and the end of each gastrostege 

 and its gastrostegal spot is covered with the dark body color. In 

 all the supralabials are dark edged, but the infralabials are immaculate 

 except in two or three of the largest specimens, where there are dark 

 edges as on the supralabials. 



Dimensions and Variations. — The fifteen specimens vary in length 

 from 32.7-78.2 cm. (13-28^ inches); the tail is 7^17.6 cm. or 3tV- 

 4|- in the total length (average 4:^-^) ; the gastrosteges have a small 

 range from 136-146, or average 141 (ten of the fifteen have 141 or 

 140); the urosteges arc 66-77, or average 70. The scale rows are 

 very constant, being 19-19-17, except in No. 6,223 where they are 

 19-19-15; the supralabials 7; the infralabials 10 except in one case of 

 11. In all the loreal is present and the oculars are consistently 1-3, 

 except in two specimens where they are 1-4 on one side; six of the 

 specimens have the temporals 1-2 on both sides, one specimen 1-3 

 on both sides, and eight specimens with the temporals 1-2 on one 

 side and 1-3 on the other side. The anal plate is entire. 



Breeding. — Of this ovoviviparous snake we took only two females 

 with embryos developing. The largest specimen (No. 6,160), taken 

 June 26, 1912, had 25 embryos or eggs little advanced in development. 

 Another small specimen had only 8 embryos in it. From the con- 

 dition of these eggs, birth could not come before the middle of August 

 or later as with our garter of the North. 



Food. — This form was found to be one of the most terrestrial of 

 the snakes of the swamp, both in the places where captured and by 

 local reputation and by examination of their food contents. One 

 snake had eaten the small dwarf or oak toad {Bufo quercicus) and 

 another had two of this species. In two instances, the larger southern 



