THE REPTILES OF OHIO 41 



varied from 1 to 7 in number, but were most commonly 3 or 4. Females laid 

 in late June or very early July and showed a tendency to deposit their eggs 

 in community nests; single logs were found containing as many as 48 and 55 

 eggs. Length of eggs varied from 18 to 43 mm. and widths from 6 to 12.4 

 mm. In a previous paper (1930, 10) Blanchard stated that the incubation 

 period averaged 56 days and that newly hatched young varied from 105 to 

 143 mm. (41/3 to 5% inches) and averaged 124 mm. (4% inches) in length. 



Heterodon contortrix (Linne) 

 HoG-NosED Snake; Spreadhead,- Puff Adder 



Description. — A stout bodied snake attaining a length of about three feet. 

 Largest Ohio specimen ( 2 ), 39 inches; smallest juvenile, 6 ^^j\(\ inches. Head 

 medium and little distinct from neck. Rostral large, projected forward and 

 upward and terminated by a bluntly rounded tip, directed backward from 

 which is a keel-like ridge. Usually 1, rarely 2, small narrow scales (azygous) 

 immediately posterior to the rostral, and separating the internasals entirely 

 and the prefrontals partially. Normally one loreal but in two specimens 

 there are 2 small scales arranged one above the other; in one individual the 

 loreal is fused with the preoculars on the left side. Two nasals, the nostril 

 entirely in the postnasal. Two large temporal scales bordering the last three 

 upper labials and separated from the parietals by three rows of small scales. 

 A series of 9 to 12 scales (plus the supraocular) completely encircling the 

 eye, these taking the place of precxrulars and postoculars and separating the 

 upper labials from the orbit. Body stout; tail short. 



Dorsal scale rows usually 25-23-21-19 and less often 27-25-23-21-19 (23-21- 

 19 in one specimen from Adams County and reduced posteriorly to 17 in a 

 specimen from Pike County) . Scales keeled except for the first one to three 

 rows. Upper labials 8, rarely 7; lower labials 10, less often 9 or 11. Ventrals 

 in males 122 to 134, average 129; in females 122 to 141, average 134. Sub- 

 caudals in males 47 to 57, average 50; in females 40 to 52, average 46. Anal 

 plate divided. 



Ground color above, yellow, orange, red, brown, olive or dark grey. A 

 vertebral series of 23 to 33 large dark blotches alternating with a lateral series 

 of smaller dark blotches. Ground color usually brightest and richest between 

 the blotches of the median series. Tail banded alternately with light and dark. 

 Occasional specimens are uniform black or olive grey above with the markings 

 absent or only faintly evident. 



A dark band on the suture of the frontal and prefrontals and another 

 wider and more or less interrupted band across the parietals and the posterior 

 part of the frontal and supraoculars; a dark line from the eye to the angle of 

 the mouth. A large dark elongate blotch on either side of the neck, normally 

 with narrower extensions forward and upward to the ends of the band across 

 the parietals. Belly in adults yellowish, greyish or pinkish with more or less 

 conspicuous spots of greenish or grey; in juveniles the spots more confluent 

 and giving to some a uniform black appearance on at least a part of the abdo- 



