MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIKXCE. 61 



With the exception of Liopeltis vernalis, all of the species of series 3 

 are forms which are found under or near fallen timber in areas more 

 or less covered with a growth of trees. The grass snake is an insectivor- 

 ous species and was seen most frequently in the low vegetation and under- 

 brush in the disturbed hardwoods and second growth timber. This snake 

 may be a part of the food chain of series 3 however, as Ditmars (1908, 

 p. 336) states that the grass snake is eaten by Storeria occipitomaculata. 



The red-backed salamander is the only species of series 3 which is 

 abundant in the region, altliough it was not a cons))icuous form in the 

 woodland which it frequented. Restricted as this salamander is to damp, 

 rotten wood during both larval and adult life, its local distribution was 

 changed wherever the woodland had been cleared or cleaned of fallen 

 timber. 



The king snake, Lavipropeltis doliatus triangulus is the only reptile 

 of series 3 which Mas even fairly common in the region. This snake 

 showed a decided preference for the drier parts of tlie aspen associa- 

 tions, although it was found in the damp woodland under fallen timber. 

 The four snakes of this series may be arranged in a single food chain 

 dependent upon the primary amphibian species of this series, Plethodon 

 erythronotus. How important this chain is in the ecology of these species 

 was not determined as too few individuals were collected (see annotated 

 list). The food of Diadophis punctata includes Storeria occipitomaculata 

 (Ditmars, 1908, p. 336) and the salamander. Plethodon cinereus 

 f= P. erythronotus) (Surface, 1906, p. 173). Lampropelti.i doliatus 

 triangulus is reported (Surface, 1906, p. 179) as feeding upon Storeria 

 occipitomaculata, although mammals seem to comprise a large portion of 

 the food of the king snake (Surface, 1. c). A specimen of Storeria 

 occipitomaculata taken in the hardwoods near North Fishtail Bay on 

 Douglas Lake contained three red-backed salamanders, and the fact that 

 the food of the red-bellied snake may include the grass snake has been 

 mentioned previously. 



The box turtle and the skink represented as they were by but a single 

 specimen eacli in the collections of four summers are too rare to be con- 

 sidered in this connection. 



Series J/. Habitat of both larvae and adult strictly aquatic. The mud 

 |)Uf)py, Necturus maculosus is the only species in the fauna considered 

 which comes under this head. This species is not common in the Douglas 

 Lake region at present. 



