mwrn 



Bulletin. 



Vol. II, No. 13. 



JUNE, 1904. 



I Whole Series, 

 i Vol. XII, No. IS 



SNAKES OF KANSAS. 



BY EDWIN B. BRANSON. 

 Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. 



INTRODUCTION. 



nPHE original intention of tlie author was to include in this 

 paper only snakes that he knew occurred in Kansas, but 

 he has found it desirable to add descriptions of others that have 

 been reported from the state, the occurrence of which appears 

 doubtful. He has also included descriptions of species that 

 may reasonably be expected to occur in the state because they 

 are found close to its boundaries. 



The first list of Kansas snakes was published by Annie E. 

 Mozley in 1878. This list included only those species preserved 

 in the museum of Kansas University. It gave thirty-two species 

 and two subspecies, but the writer has had access to the material 

 used by Miss Mozley and finds only twenty-three valid species and 

 four valid subspecies. Eidsenia sirtalis, E. saurita, E.parietalis, E. 

 marciana,E.proxima and one unidentified species of Garter Snake 

 are listed by Miss Mozley, but the writer has failed to find Eu- 

 tixnia marciana and Eutxnia saurita in the collections. Mozley's 

 E. sirtalis, E. sirtalis dorsalis and E. imrietalis belong to the 

 species sirtalis. The corrected list of Garter Snakes contains 

 four species — E. sirtalis, E. radix, E. proxima and E. elegans. 

 Mozley's Heterodon cogfiatus and Heterodon atmodes are now in- 

 cluded under Heterodon platyrhinus. Mozley's Ophiholus eximus, 

 Ophibolus gentilis and two unidentified species belong to one 

 species, Ophibolus doliatus . Bascanion flaviventris, Bascanion foxi 

 and B. constrictor are synonymous, and are now called Zamenis 

 constrictor. Heterodon simus, listed by Mozley, proved to be H. 



nasicus. 



(353) 



