TROPIDONOTUS FASCIATUS. 27 



length of body, 20 inches; length of tail, 8 inches; cirumfcrence of body, 5 inches. 

 In the specimen described there were 140 abdominal plates, and 42 pair of sub- 

 caudal scales. 



Habits. The Tropidonotus fasciatus lives most of its time in water, or about 

 the banks of ponds and rivers, preying on frogs and other smaller reptiles that 

 frequent the same localities. It swims with great rapidity, and hundreds at a time 

 may be seen darting through the water in all directions, constantly protruding 

 their tongues, as if to feel the objects before them. It is a bold animal, even in 

 confinement, and is one of the very few snakes that will, in such a situation, 

 readily devour its prey. In summer it rests on the lower branches of such trees 

 as overhang the water, like the Trigonocephalus piscivorus. 



GEOGRApmcAL DISTRIBUTION. I would assigu, for the present. North Carolina 

 or southern Virginia for the northern limit of the Tropidonotus fasciatus; beyond 

 that its place is supplied by the Tropidonotus sipedon. How far south and west 

 it may reach cannot be stated with certainty; I have received it from Louisiana, 

 and all the intermediate states. 



General Remarks. There is, in my opinion, no doubt that this is the animal 

 sent by Dr. Garden to Linnoeus, and by him described as the Coluber fasciatus, 

 as the general colouring, the particular marks, its habitat, and the carinated scales, 

 all go to prove. Linnaeus himself seems to have hesitated to which of Catesby's 

 animals he should refer the one sent by Dr. Garden, for he quotes the Wampum- 

 snake with doubt, which it cannot be, as in this the scales are carinated, and in 

 that, which is probably the Coluber abacurus, they arc smooth; yet in this 

 reference he has been almost universally followed by naturalists. 



My belief is, that he should have referred it to the Brown Viper of Catesby,* 

 which was probably drawn from a specimen imperfectly coloured; for not unfre- 



* Catesby's Carolina, &c., vol. ii. pi. xlv. 



