SERPENTS OF THE NORTHEASTERN STATES 15 



elimination of large numbers of related species occurring outside of 

 the area under consideration. 



Description of the Species 



All scientific names in this review follow the latest procedure in in- 

 dicating whether or not varietal forms have been recognized among 

 the various species. When the designation is binomial, there are no 

 known subspecies or varieties. If trinomial designation is followed, 

 one or more subspecies have been recognized. For example, the 

 scientific name of our local ring-necked snake is given as Diadophis 

 punctatus edtvardsii, indicating that it is a variety of the typical form, 

 Diadophis punctatus punctatus, which occurs in the southeastern 

 United States, whereas with the hog-nosed snake, Heterdon contortrix, 

 the binomial designation indicates that no forms or varieties have 

 been described. 



Part I : Non-venomous Snakes 



Worm Snake 



Carphophis amoena amoena (Say) 



(Fig. 1) 



The worm snake is a very small snake and while fairly abundant 

 in some areas is not often observed, because of its secretive habits. 

 Occurrence is "spotty," the species being common in some districts, 

 yet never found in similar terrain but twenty miles or so distant. 

 Thus it is abundant in northern New Jersey, particularly so in the 

 area immediately back of the Palisades along the Hudson, where it 

 hides under stones and decaying logs or burrows into the ground. 

 Its occurrence along the eastern portion of the Hudson River valley is 

 problematical, however. Records indicate that it occurs in a number 

 of areas of New Jersey, but is rare north of Connecticut, probably 

 not going into the northern New England States. 



The worm snake has a smooth, shining and cylindrical body and 

 sharp snout. Above, it is light brown or brownish gray; the underside 

 is a delicate shade of pink. It seldom exceeds a length of eleven inches 

 and is usually smaller. 



This little serpent might be confused with Storer's snake and 

 DeKay's snake, both of which are of similar size and inclined to hide 

 under stones. It may be immediately recognized, however, by its 

 smooth and glossy scales. The other two similarly-colored species have 

 keeled scales, imparting a dull, lusterless surface to the back. 



The food of the worm snake consists largely of earthworms and 

 soft-bodied insect larvae. It is an oviparous, or egg-laying, species. 



