62 THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 



94) and in Ontario it has been taken along the lake as far east as Long Point, 

 Norfolk County (Logier, 1931) which is north of Erie, Pennsylvania. There 

 are also two specimens from near Buffalo, New York (ANSP 3779-80). 

 Locality records are: 



Erie County: (UMMZ 31723; SHS) ; Castalia (OSM 28; UMMZ 62661-2); 

 Cedar Point (OSM 29; UMMZ 34262); Sandusky (BU 1842; BGSU; FMNH 



396; MCZ 19582-3; OSM 27.1-.2; UMMZ 31622-3, 32853-6. 32957, 41939; 



USNM 36968); 5 mi. E of Sandusky (DOR). Lake Erie, off Vermillion (UMMZ 

 82794). Lucas County: Alexis; Bono; Booth; Little Cedar Pt. Marsh, Jerusalem 

 Twp. (USNM 92596-7); Point Place, N of Toledo (CSNH 1506; TZS 80); 

 Reno Beach, Jerusalem Twp.; East Toledo (OSM 442; TZS 1659); Toledo 

 (UMMZ 68866). Ottawa County: Bay Point (DOR); Catawba Island (TZS 

 1960); Camp Perry; Clay Twp. (TZS 1223); Danbury (CMNH) ; Elmore (TZS 

 1165); Erie Twp. (TZS 1445); Genoa; Marblehead (TZS 1182); Middle Bass 

 Island (SL); Oak Harbor; 5 mi. E of Oak Harbor (DOR); Port Clinton (TZS 

 998, 1445); 8 mi. S of Port Clinton (UMMZ 68711); Put-in-Bay (WC) ; Sandy 

 Beach, Danbury Twp. (OSM 426); Touissant Creek, 4 mi. E of Bono; Rattlesnake 

 Island (SHS); West Harbor, Danbury Twp. (BGSU). Sandusky CountY: 6 mi. 

 N of Fremont; Near Genoa; Lindsey; Woodville (TZS 482); Townsend Twp. 

 (OSM 208). Wood County: Lake Twp. (TZS 1224, 1912); Troy Twp. (TZS 

 483, 1181); Walbridge (TZS 1913); Ross Twp. (TZS 1509-15). 



Habitat and Habits. — The fox snake is abundant in and near the extensive 

 lake marshes from Toledo to east of Sandusky and it also occurs on the Lake 

 Erie Islands. In the marshes it was taken among the reeds, on muskrat houses 

 and on the nearby dikes and beaches. It often entered the water and appeared 

 to be able to take care of itself in an aquatic environment. This was attested 

 by two cases in which specimens were caught while swimming, respectively, 

 several hundred yards and nearly a mile off shore in Lake Erie. It was also 

 found in fields, along the streams which flow into the marshes and on the 

 highways which traverse the area. At Catawba Island, Ottawa County, and 

 on the islands it was taken in woods and on the cliffs. Most were discovered 

 in the open, but a number were beneath rocks, boards and other shelter. One 

 or two were in low bushes. 



In general the fox snake is less aggressive and less prone to strike than the pilot 

 black snake although an occasional specimen will give a good account of itself. 

 Like the latter species it vibrates its tail rapidly when excited and if it is in 

 dried leaves or other dead vegetation the noise of the tail striking against these 

 is suggestive of that of the rattlesnake. The illusion is further heightened by 

 the black and yellow markings which superficially resemble those of the timber 

 rattlesnake, a species which has been taken with the fox snake at Catawba and 

 on the islands. The reddish color of the head also causes it to be confused 

 with the copperhead. As a result of these unfortunate similarities the fox 

 snake is mistaken for a poisonous snake and killed as such, perhaps, as fre- 

 quently as any other harmless serpent in the state. 



Specimens were collected from April to October inclusive and numbers 

 were taken in every month throughout the summer; the peak of abundance 

 was in May and June. It is worthy of note that in the area where the fox 

 snake is abundant only one pilot black snake was collected. The latter was 



