TROPIDONOTUS SIRTALIS. 43 



marked with a small black spot near its junction with the scales; these spots form 

 a longitudinal series; sometimes there are two rows of these black spots on each 

 side, the smaller being the inner one. 



Dimensions. Length of head, 13 lines; length of body, 22 inches; length of tail, 

 8i inches: total length, 29 inches 6 hnes. This animal at times reaches the length 

 of nearly four feet; in general, however, they are found between two and three 

 feet long. In the specimen here described there were 145 abdominal plates, and 

 70 sub-caudal bifid plates. 



Habits. This serpent is extremely gentle in its disposition, and can be handled 

 without the least fear of injury; indeed, I have never known it attempt to bite. 

 It prefers shady places for its abode, and is often found among high grass, 

 feeding on toads and other small reptiles, &c. 



GEOGRAPfflCAL DISTRIBUTION. The Tropidouotus sirtalis is found in all the 

 Atlantic states, from Maine to Florida inclusive; it inhabits also the country west 

 of the Alleghany mountains. Say observed this animal high up the Missouri 

 river; and I have seen specimens from Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, &c. 



General Reivl\rks. The first notice of this serpent is in the tenth edition of 

 the Systema Naturse of Linnaeus, who described it on the authority of Kalm. 

 His account is so short and unsatisfactory that many herpetologists have thought 

 it advisable to expunge this name altogether from the catalogue of North 

 American reptiles; yet if we follow the early history of this animal we shall find 

 the specific name sirtalis sufiiciently intelligible, and thus avoid the inconvenience 

 of a new one. 



Kalm travelled over a certain portion of the United States, in which, to this 

 time, only two snakes have been found marked with three yellow longitudinal 

 lines; and the herpetology of this section of our country is perhaps as well knoAvn 

 as that of France. 



