TROPIDONOTUS LEBERIS. 51 



have been inferred from the form of its scales, which are precisely like those of 

 our common Avater-snakes, if its tail were not round. 



Geographical Distribution. This serpent inhabits Pennsylvania, Ohio, 

 Michigan, New Jersey and New York, and doubtless will be found in many 

 others. To Dr. Green I am indebted for several fine specimens; and to Mr. 

 Haldeman for the hvins animal. 



't> 



General Remarks. I am happy in being able to restore this long lost species 

 to its proper place in the catalogue of Northern American reptiles, as I have no 

 doubt of its being the Coluber leberis of Linnteus, as may be made plain by 

 following its early history. 



Kalm, who first discovered this animal and furnished the description, resided 

 for a short time in Delaware and Pennsylvania, and from thence he travelled to 

 Canada: now the only serpent marked with dusky lines "fasciiE lineares nigrge," 

 ever yet found in the section of country over which he passed, is the animal now 

 under consideration. It is true he represents it as a viper, and in this he is 

 followed by many naturalists, but they are excusable, as they never saw the 

 animal; and Kalm's observations must have been superficial, and consequently not 

 to be relied on. He was informed the snake was poisonous, and he believed it; 

 as Catesby was told the Ileterodon niger was venomous, and he of course repre- 

 sented it in his work with fangs. 



'&^ 



It is enough to say that no poisonous snakes have been found in the country 

 that Kalm examined, except the Rattlesnake and Copperhead; and the herpetology 

 of this region is perhaps better known than any other part of the United States. 



Say next described this serpent, and gave it the very appropriate specific name 

 "septemvittatus," from the number of its longitudinal dusky lines; his name, 

 however, cannot be retained, as that of Linnaeus has the right of priority, which 

 should be adhered to rigidly. 



