THE REPTILES OF OHIO 63 



taken on South Bass Island (Put-in-Bay), Ottawa County, which affords 

 many habitats similar to those in which the pilot snake was found in other 

 parts of the state. 



Fox snakes feed upon mammals, birds and eggs. Freshly caught indi- 

 viduals disgorged mice (Mtcrotus and Peromyscus), fledgling birds (probably 

 red-winged blackbirds) and quail eggs. Captives ate mice, rats, sparrows and 

 sparrows' eggs. Hay (1892a, 500) records a specimen which swallowed a 

 half-grown rabbit. The food may not be restricted entirely to warm blooded 

 vertebrates for Logier (1931, 233) states that a two foot specimen "disgorged 

 a bundle of undigested earthworms." 



In subduing struggling prey the fox snake throws one or more coils of its 

 body about its victim and the more the latter resists the tighter the coils are 

 drawn. Death results from suffocation; the snake usually examines its food 

 with the tongue tips before swallowing it. Small items such as baby mice or 

 small eggs are eaten without any attempt to use the coils; large eggs are 

 crushed in the throat and the shells are either retained or disgorged. A speci- 

 men 52 inches in length collected on Rattlesnake Island, Ottawa County, in 

 September, 1892, was coiled around a nest of hen's eggs from which it had 

 driven the hen and eaten two eggs. 



Several notes are available on the eggs of the fox snake. A female from 

 Bono, Lucas County, 51 inches in length, deposited 15 eggs July 29, 1929. 

 These were white, with firm leathery shells and were adherent to one another. 

 They averaged 44 mm. in length by 24 mm. in width and weighed 1/2 ounce 

 each. The eggs were placed in damp sphagnum moss and three hatched 78 

 days later on October 19, 1929. Lengths of the young at hatching were IO1/25 

 10%, and 11 inches, respectively. Two other females from East Toledo, Lucas 

 County, laid eggs July 17, 1929. One of these, 49 inches in length, laid 17 

 eggs and the other, 50 inches in length, laid 15 eggs. Both lots failed to 

 hatch. Another female, 451/4 inches in length, from the same locality, died 

 July 19, 1930, and was found to contain 11 eggs. 



An unusually large female was secured on Little Cedar Point, Lucas 

 County, June 24, 1933. This snake measured 59 inches in length and weighed 

 two pounds, 11 ounces. During transportation a single egg was laid but was 

 broken by the weight of the snake; the following day 28 additional eggs were 

 deposited. These were obviously abnormal as the shells were very flabby and 

 the eggs changed their shapes as they were rolled about. They measured 

 roughly 40 to 50 mm. in length by 20 to 30 mm. in width. When they were 

 opened they were found to contain a thick white fluid. 



Lampropeltis getulus nigra (Yarrow) 

 Black King Snake 



Description. — A medium to large snake attaining a length of four and a 

 half feet or more. Largest adult Ohio specimen ( 5 ), 4O1/2 inches in length; 

 smallest newly hatched juvenile, 91/4 inches. Head small, depressed, and but 

 little distinct from neck. Eye medium small; cephalic plates normal. Two 



