MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 115 



3. Eutaenia radix. Baird — Girard. Racine Garter. 



Dorsal scales in 21, (19) rows, inferior row as deep as long, smooth or keeled; body moderately stout; 

 head short; muzzle pointed; superior labials 7, (8), bordered posteriorly with black; inferior labials 

 9-10; temporals 1, 2, (3) ; internasals and prefrontals as wide or wider than long. General color above, 

 various shades of brown, in the type dark brown to black, obscuring the spots. In some forms as 

 light as light olive, so that the spots above and below the lateral stripes are distinct. The stripes 

 are rather narrow and yellow. In young specimens, a narrow black stripe on each side of the dorsal 

 stripe is common, which in age develops into a more or less distinct row of spots. The lateral 

 stripes are on the third and fourth rows of scales. Abdomen dark greenish to lighter more or less 

 spotted with black. Sometimes the spots on the ventrals are prolonged so as to form a more or less 

 interrupted black stripe on each side of the abdomen. Rare in Michigan, but one of the most com- 

 mon species of the western plains. 



4. Eutaenia siiialis Linnaeus. 



Body moderately stout; head distinct, oval in outline; dorsal scales in 17-21 rows; oculars 1, (2)-3, 

 (4); temporals 1, 2, (13), 3; superior labials 7-8, (6); postgeneials longer than the pregeneials; inferior 

 labials usually 10: geneials reaching back to the sixth or seventh inferior labial; nasals two. Color 

 above varying from light green through olive brown to black; dorsal and lateral stripes, when present, 

 brownish yellow to whitish. Abdomen yellow, greenish, copper color or black; stripes begin at the 

 back of tlie head and gradually become indistinct on the tail; lateral stripes on the second and third 

 rows of scales, when present. The type has two rows of alternating dark spots between the dorsal 

 and each lateral stripe, which in some of the varieties may be more or less confluent with each other 

 and thus become indistinct or disappear; ventrals black spotted in some varieties, without spots in 

 others. This species in some of its forms ranges throughout the United States. It is the most com- 

 mon of the genus and the most variable in its scale formulae and the color markings. When handled 

 it gives off an offensive odor. There are the following varieties in Michigan. 



*Green to olivaceous, with or without spots; stripes indistinct or wanting. 



Var. 1, Eutae nia sirtalis ordinatus Linnaeus. Green Garter Snake. 



Dorsal scales in 19 rows; superior labials 7, usually witli dark edges. Color above greenish to olive 

 brown; dorsal stripe, if present, yellowish and indistinct; lateral stripe, if present, a trace on the second 

 and third rows of scales; spots generally distinct occasionally obscure or wanting; abdomen greenish, 

 white, usually with a few of the ventrals spotted with black on each end of the scale. 



Throughout the United States east of the Mississippi River. Rare in Michigan. 



**Botli spots and stripes present. 



fDorsal stripe yellowish not black bordered; no red on the sides. 



Var. 2. Eutaenia sirtalis sirtalis Linnaetis. Garter Snake. Striped Snake. 



Dorsal stripe yellowish to greenish yellow, not bordered with black but often quite narrow and en- 

 croached upon by the spots; lateral stripes onthe second and third rows of scales, a little lighter than 

 the first row of scales, which is usually colored like the ends of the ventrals. Color very variable, but 

 usually olive to dark brown ; abdomen greenish white to yellowish; spots usually in three series, some- 

 times they are small and indistinct and can be seen only on stretching the skin, more frequently they 

 are large and distinct. The spots are more or less confluent, in some specimens even dividing the 

 stripes into sections; usually numerous white lines will be seen on stretching the skin; ventral spots 

 are usually present; labials yellowish or greenish, often with dark borders. This is especially the case 

 in old individuals. This is one of the most variable varieties both as to its general color and markings. 

 Eastern and Austroriparian region and as far west as central Kansas. One of the most common 

 snakes in Michigan. 



ttMore or less red in and about the lateral stripes. 



Var. 3. Eutaenia sirtalis parieialis Say. Red Garter, Rocky Mountain Garter Snake. 



Dorsal scales in 19, (21) rows; superior labials 7, (8), color above, greenish, brown to blackish; dorsal 

 stripe variable in width and color, greenish wliite to yellowish brown; lateral stripe on the second and 

 third rows of scales, yellow to greenish; first row of scales and ends of the ventrals darker, often brown- 

 ish; superior row of spots often very indistinct, seen only on stretching the skin, with which the in- 

 ferior row sometimes connects above; first row of spots quite distinct, between the third and sixth 

 rows of scales; second row, which may be distinct, is between the sixth row of scales and the vertibral 

 line; skin an even the lateral margins and base of the scales between the dark spots bright brick red 

 in western specimens, in eastern specimens, (Michigan,) the red is usually visible on the anterior part 

 of the body, in and about the lateral stripe and inferior row of scales, sometimes visible only on stretch- 

 ing the skin. It forms the connecting link between the western specimens and Eutaenia sirtalis 

 sirtalis of the east. Ventral spots few and small or none; abdomen bluish green to yellow; top of head 

 olive brown to reddish yellow; occasionally a superior labial will have a narrow dark border. From 

 Michigan to the Pacific coast and from Montana to Mexico. 



Genus 3. Pityophys Hallowell — Pi-ti-o-fis. — Bull or Pine Snakes. 



Body rather large and robust; head elongated; epiglottis veritical, laminiform; rostral plate high, 

 projecting backwards; nasals two; internasals two; prefrontals 4-6: preoculars 1, (2); postoculars 

 3-5; one loreal; dorsal scales in 25-35 rows, scales pitted, and more or less keeled; anal plate entire; 

 terrestreal in habits, preferring dry and sandy regions; length 1,500-2,000 m m. 



*Head bands distinct; spots numerous. 



1 . Pityophys catenifer BlainviUe. 



Dorsal scales in 25-35 rows, 3-12 lower rows smooth: preoculars 1, (2); postoculars 3, (4); temporals 

 3, 4, (5); superior labials 8-9; rostral varying from low and broad to high and narrow above, some- 

 times penetrating between the internasals but not extending to the prefrontals; prefrontals 4, (6); 

 dorsal spots 40-70 in number; lateral spots in three series, which are more or less distinct. Head with 



