SERPENTS OF THE NORTHEASTERN STATES 25 



General range: Southern Canada and eastern United States; 

 southward to Mexico. 



Storer's Snake 



(Red-bellied Snake) 



Storeria occipito-maculata (Storer) 

 (Figs. 19, 20) 



Similar in form and upper coloration to the preceding, although 

 many specimens are a bit smaller. It may be distinguished by the 

 vivid vermilion undersurface. There is a tendency to have a paler 

 band on the back. Some specimens are a rich brown and others slaty 

 gray. The gray specimens usually have the more strongly-defined 

 dorsal band, which is intensified by being bordered with rows of 

 minute black spots. The average length is eight to ten inches. 



This is a species preferring the more elevated and wild areas 

 and does not occur in the immediate vicinity of New York City. To- 

 gether with the ring-necked snake, it occurs in portions of New Eng- 

 land where the winters are very severe and other serpents (except the 

 striped snake) are rare or entirely absent. 



Food consists mainly of earthworms. The species is viviparous 

 and the young are black, with whitish ring around the neck. 



General range: Similar to the allied preceding species, but ex- 

 tends farther north into Canada. 



Smooth Brown Snake 



Virginia valeriae valeriae Baird and Girard 



(Fig. 21) 



Because of its smooth scales and small size, there is a possibility 

 of confusing this species with the worm snake (Carphophis) , but it 

 ranges only into the extreme southerly area of this list — southern 

 New Jersey. 



Its snout is not so sharp as that of the worm snake, and the scales 

 are of rather satiny luster. The color is dark chestnut or grayish- 

 brown, usually with two rows of minute black dots on the back. The 

 abdomen is yellowish-white. Average length is between six and eight 

 inches. 



The smooth brown snake feeds on worms and soft-bodied insect 

 larvae and is viviparous. 



General range: Southern New Jersey to Georgia; westward to 

 Tennessee. A subspecies extends the range to Illinois and Texas. 



