74 Strecker — Reptile? and Batrachians of Texas. 



Heterodon platyrhinus Latreille. 



BLOWING ADDER. 



This species is rather common in the Brazos-Tehuacana bottoms, but 

 rare in the immediate neighborhood of Waco. 



Cyclophis aestivus Linn. 



SOUTHERN GREEN SNAKE. 



Tolerably common in the wooded Brazos and Bosque bottoms. 



Zamenis constrictor L. 



BLACK SNAKE; RACER. 



This species in its typical form is exceedingly rare. One specimen from 

 the Bosque hills north of Waco was a typical constrictor, black, with 

 slate-colored belly. All of the other specimens I have seen were referable 

 to the following subspecies: 



Zamenis constrictor flaviventris Say. 



YELLOW-BELLIED RACER. 



Two specimens of this variety from the prairie district between Waco 

 and McGregor, three from the Symes farm on the Brazos about ten miles 

 south of the city, and a single example from Proctor Springs were olive- 

 green with the under surfaces bright yellow. 



Zamenis flagellum Shaw. 

 COACHWHIP SNAKE; PRAIRIE RUNNER. 

 A common species in the prairie districts. This is one of our most 

 beneficial serpents, for while they destroy a good many lizards, they more 

 than make up for it by the number of locusts they consume. L have col- 

 lected examples that were fairly gorged with specimens of Schistocerca 

 americanum. 



Coluber spiloides Dumeril and Bibron. 



TEXAS PILOT SNAKE. 



Abundant wherever there are wooded traits and one of our most harm- 

 ful species. On account of their expertness in climbing trees, they annu- 

 ally destroy large numbers of young birds. I bave known them to almost 

 depopulate a small colony of Cliff .'wallows, and on one occasion killed 

 a specimen that had just swallowed a female scissor-tailed flycatcher and 

 her eggs. 



Coluber obsoletus lindheimeri Baird and Girard. 



LIXDIILTMER's PILOT SNAKE. 

 .My friend, Mr. .1. 1'. Bahl, kindly presented me with a fair sized speci- 

 men of tbis bright colored pilot snake which he collected near McGregor. 

 This is my only record for the county. 



Pityophis catenifer sayi Schlegel. 



Ill LL SNAKE. 

 This species is not uncommon in the prairie district between Waco and 

 McGregor. I once witnessed an aerial combat between a snake of this 



