50 



THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 



grey, chestnut or black. As these snakes grow older the pattern becomes less 

 distinct and the appearance of the entire upper surface becomes darker. At a 

 length of about 18 inches it becomes difficult to count the blotches and at 

 about 30 inches all trace of the juvenile patern has disappeared except for a 

 few faint indications of the spots on the ventral surface. 



Specimens examined, 66; specimens preserved, 55; specimens studied, 66. 



Range. — New England to Florida, west to central Ohio, southern Indiana 

 and southern Illinois and to the Mississippi River south of its junction with 

 the Ohio. In Ohio the black racer is found throughout the unglaciated part 

 of the state and from thence northward through the easternmost tier of coun- 

 ties to Lake Erie, and west along the Ohio River to the Indiana border (Map 

 11). Locality records are: 



Adams County: Lynx Prairie, near Lynx (TZS 1869). Athens County: 

 Athens (TZS 1099). Belmont County: Wamock (TZS 488). Clermont County: 



g Coluber c. flaviventris 



A Intergrades 



• Coluber c. constrictor 



Map 1 1 . Ohio locality records for the Black Racer, Coluber constrictor constrictor, 

 the Blue Racer, Coluber constrictor flavivenlris and intergrading specimens between 

 these forms. The general ranges of constrictor and flaviventris are shown separated by 

 a space which has been left especially wide for the sake of clearness. 



