THE REPTILES OF OHIO 19 



In the text, following the statement of the range and the presentation of 

 the locality records, an account is given of the habits and habitat of the 

 species in question. Unless otherwise noted the detailed observations and 

 generalized statements in this section are based entirely upon Ohio specimens 

 which were studied either in the field or in the laboratory. These are supple- 

 mented by statements in the literature to which reference is made in the text. 

 While the varying quantity and quality of information which is available for 

 each species prevents an entirely uniform treatment, the order indicated below 

 has been followed as closely as possible: 



A statement as to relative abundance; a discussion of habitat preferences 

 and specific places in which specimens have been found; unusual or charac- 

 teristic habits and comment upon popular superstitions; seasonal variation; 

 association with other species; food in nature and in captivity; notes on eggs 

 and young. 



The photographs illustrate all of the species and subspecies of reptiles 

 known from Ohio; the captions state the locality in which the specimen shown 

 was collected and also its measured or approximate length. 



Key to the Reptiles of Ohio* 



1. Body elongate and covered with small scales. Anus a cross-slit. — Order 



SQUAMATA (Lizards and Snakes) 2. 



Body short and broad and enclosed between two (upper and lower) shields 

 or shells. Anus rounded or a longitudinal slit. — Order TESTUDINATA 

 (Turtles) 33. 



2. Limbs present; eyelids movable; an external ear opening. — Suborder SAURIA 



(Lizards) 3. 



Limbs absent; no external ear openings or movable eyelids. — Suborder SER- 



PENTES (Snakes) 6. 



3. Dorsal scales smooth. — Skinks, Scincidae 4. 



Dorsal scales keeled. — SwiFT, Sceloporus undulaius. 



4. Center of lower eyelid transparent and without scales; the adpressed limbs 



lack considerably of meeting. — Brown-Backed Skink., Leiolopisma unicolor. 



Lower eyelid without a transparent center; the adpressed limbs meet or 



overlap 5. 



5. Seven upper labials, four usually preceding the subocular. Maximum length 



3.15 inches from snout to vent. — Blue-Tailed Skink, Eumeces fascialus. 



Eight upper labials, five usually preceding the subocular. Maximum length 

 greater than 3.15 inches from snout to vent. — Larce-Headed Skink, 

 Eumeces laiiceps. 



6. A deep facial pit present about midway between each eye and nostril 31. 



No facial pit present 7. 



7. Some or all of dorsal scales keeled 8. 



Dorsal scales smooth 23. 



* Key adapted in part from Blanchard (1925a) and Ruthven, Thompson and 

 Gaige (1928). 



