THE REPTILES OF OHIO 81 



tivity for several months. Whether it was actually frozen could not be deter- 

 mined for over an hour elapsed from the time the snake was caught until the 

 writer saw it. 



Queen snakes disgorged crayfish and small fish when captured. Atkinson 

 (1901, 149) records crayfish as food and "also occasionally fish and small 

 frogs." Surface (1906, 151) found crayfish in the stomachs of four specimens 

 and a toad in another. It is doubtful as to whether the queen snake is active 

 enough to catch the fast swimming food and game fish. Its small size pre- 

 cludes the taking of any but the smaller fish and like the common water snake 

 much of its food is probably caught in land-locked pools, or consists of dead 

 fish cast upon the shore. Judging from the many which disgorged crayfish this 

 animal must constitute a considerable portion of its food. Captives fed rarely 

 and then only on small crayfish. 



A female 27i/g inches in length from Toledo, Lucas County, gave birth to 

 11 young August 18, 1930. These measured from 7% to 81/2 inches in length. 

 Another female 23% inches in length (but with part of the tail missing) col- 

 lected August 6, 1932, in Union Twp., Clermont County, gave birth to 10 

 young August 20, 1932. These measured 7% to 8^3 inches in length, thus 

 averaging slightly less than the litter mentioned above. Neither group exhibited 

 the minimum size, however, for one taken in the field measured only 7^ 

 inches. 



Matrix sipedon sipedon (Linne) 



Common Water Snake; "Moccasin" 



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

 four feet. Largest adult Ohio specimen ( 9 ) , 47i/2 inches in length; smallest 

 newborn juvenile, 71/2 inches. Head medium and slightly wider than neck. 

 Eye medium in size. Cephalic plates normal excepting the two nasals which 

 are in an oblique plane so that the nostril between them is directed both side- 

 ward and somewhat upward. Loreal present. Body slender in juveniles to 

 stout in adults. Tail medium stout and tapering to a point; more slender in 

 young. 



Dorsal scale row formula variable; most usual groupings 23-21-19-17 and 

 21-23-21-19-17; less often 23-21-19 and still less often 23-25-23-21-19. (Even 

 numbers appear occasionally and minimums of 18 and 16 are noted in a few 

 instances. In a specimen from Ottawa County a maximum of 22 is recorded, 

 and a maximum of 24 is seen in 5 specimens from scattered localities.) Dor- 

 sal scales keeled. Labials almost always 8 above and 10 below; rarely one 

 more or one less. Oculars usually 1-3; rarely 2 in either place. Temporals 

 1-3 with occasionally 2 in the second row. Ventrals 135 to 149, average 141.1. 

 Subcaudals in males 68 to 78, average 73.3; in females 57 to 70, average 62. 

 Anal plate usually divided but single in two specimens. 



The dorsal surface is normally patterned with a median and lateral series 

 of dark blotches, these being subquadrate in form and situated on a lighter 

 ground. The coloration is extremely variable. The blotches in some specimens 

 may be grey, pale brown or reddish, while in darker examples they may be 



