TROPIDONOTUS SIPEDON. 31 



Habits. The Tropidonotus sipedon is not unlike the Tropidonotus fasciatus of 

 the south in its habits, of which indeed it seems the northern representative; it 

 feeds on frogs, toads, fish, &c.; is commonly found in damp places in or near water, 

 and is often seen resting on the low branches of trees that overhans the water. 



GEOGRApracAL DISTRIBUTION. This scrpent is common in the stagnant or slow 

 moving waters of the northern or middle states; I have seen them on the Atlantic 

 border from New Hampshire to Delaware. 



General Remarks. I have often doubted whether this serpent were the 

 Coluber sipedon of Kalm; for his description is so short and imperfect as to 

 characterize no one animal with certainty; and besides, imperfect as it is, it by 

 no means applies in general to the serpent now under consideration, as may be 

 seen by a reference to the colours above. The only way in which we can 

 reconcile Kalm's description with the animal, is to suppose that he observed such 

 snakes as had the transverse bars indistinctly marked, wliich not unfrequently 

 happens in old animals; but then these bars may even then be seen if the skin be 

 carefully washed. 



