THE REPTILES OF OHIO 77 



Freshly captured specimens disgorged slugs and earthworms. In captivity 

 they throve on the l?.tter and occasionally would eat chopped fish. Ditmars 

 (1936, 172) states, "It feeds upon small frogs and toads." None of the Kirt- 

 land's snakes taken in Ohio exhibited evidence of having eaten such prey, nor 

 did captives show interest when frogs or toads were introduced into the cages 

 with them. While small amphibians no doubt constitute a part of the diet of 

 the present species it is believed that earthworms form the major portion. The 

 prey is seized and swallowed as it struggles to escape. 



A number of young were born in captivity. Six litters contained respec- 

 tively 5, 7, 7, 8, 11 and 1 1 individuals and the dates of birth ranged from 

 August 4 to September 8 inclusive. Parturition in each female was completed 

 within a few hours' time. The young were usually covered with a thin mem- 

 brane through which they broke shortly after birth, but occasionally this was 

 ruptured in advance and the snake and covering were extruded separately. 

 The juveniles exhibited the habit of flattening their bodies immediately after 

 being born and practically all shed their skins within 24 hours. 



The length of females giving birth to young ranged from 14% to 185^ 

 inches. The larger ones had the larger litters except that one 17 1/2 inches 

 in length bore the smallest number (5) and her young averaged the smallest 

 of any produced. Lengths of young varied from 5 to 6% inches but in no 

 one litter did the largest individual exceed the smallest by more than ^4 inch. 



Natrix septemvittata (Say) 

 Queen Snake; Striped Water Snake 



Description. — A small snake which may attain a length of two and a half 

 feet or more. Largest adult Ohio specimen ( ? ), 33 inches; smallest newly 

 born young, 7% inches, but one collected at Toledo on August 18, 1930 

 measured 7% inches. Head small, somewhat depressed and but little distinct 

 from neck. Eye medium small. Head plates normal; a single loreal present. 

 Two nasals, the nostril lateral and between them. Body slender in juveniles, 

 stouter in adults. Tail slender and tapering to a point. 



Dorsal scale rows 19-17 in every specimen examined except one from Bel- 

 mont County which has them 19-18. Scales keeled. Upper labials 7, rarely 

 6 or 8; lower labials 9 or 10, rarely 8 or 11. Oculars 2-2, rarely 1-2; temporals 

 usually 1-2 but occasionally 3 in the second row. Ventrals in males 138 to 

 154, average 147.4; in females 139 to 153, average 145.7. Subcaudals in males 

 72 to 79, average 75.6; in females 64 to 72, average 68.0. Anal plate divided. 



General color above, including the dorsal surface of the head, some shade 

 of chocolate brown or chestnut. A light yellow stripe occupies the second and 

 the upper half of the first row of scales and is continued forward on the head 

 to include the upper labials and the lower parts of the rostral and lower 

 postoculars. A narrow dark stripe may be seen on the middorsal row of 

 scales and another occurs on the fifth (and also occasionally on the adjacent 

 rows). These dark stripes may best be seen in young specimens; in the major- 

 ity of adults they can be made out only with difficulty, if at all. 



