300 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. lie 



some ontogenetic change in the color pattern of this subspecies, but 

 the variety of polychromatism renders its interpretation especially 

 difficult. 



Twenty young born on August 26, 1957, to a female, 1051 mm. in 

 total length, are 142-160 (x 152) mm. snout-vent, 49-58 (55) mm. 

 tail length. It is noteworthy that the above female is the largest 

 T. e. vagrans on record; her brood averages considerably larger than 

 those reported by Wright and Wright (1957, p. 799). Other dates of 

 birth and brood size are July 11 (13) and July 2 (15) for females 

 measuring 744 and 979 mm. total length, respectively. All brood 

 records are from specimens captured at 7200 feet in the riparian associ- 

 ation bordered by oak-mahogany and pinyon-juniper associations. 

 The adults were maintained in outside cages at the same elevation. 



As indicated by Coues (1875, pp. 614-615) in observations made 

 along the Zuni River, the wandering garter snake is typically semi- 

 aquatic in the Zunis. Specimens of all sizes were encountered fre- 

 quently in riparian situations where the amount of exposure varied 

 according to elevation. The form was most abundant in Montane 

 and Roiighlands Life Belts, but a few individuals were found on the 

 plains in or near arroyos stemming from the uplands. Of 23 specimens 

 with food in their stomachs, 17 had eaten Rana pipiens, both adults 

 and larvae; 6 contained Sceloporus undulatus and Biifo woodhousei; 

 2 held Peromyscus species; 1 held Perognathus flavus; and 1 each had 

 eaten Phrynosoma douglassi and Ambystoma tigrinum. On several 

 occasions, this garter snake was seen chasing anuran larvae under 

 water. 



Locality records: 



MCKINLEY CO.: Thoreau (MCZ 62258-64, 62454-70*); 6 mi. S. Thoreau (CU 

 5054, 5444, 5586, 5616, 5668) ; Ft. Wingate (USNM 16764-5, 14397-14401); 15 mi. 

 N. Gallup (MVZ 63704*); 5 mi. SW. Ramah (UMMZ 123132) ; Valencia co.: 1.5 

 mi. SW. San Mateo (UMMZ 86626-7); 4 mi. W. McCartey'g (UMMZ 86628); 

 4 mi. WSW. CeboUeta (UMMZ 86624-25); Paguate (UMMZ 86629); Canyon 

 Lobo Ranger Station, Mt. Taylor (UMMZ 86630); 7 mi. W. San Fidel (AMNH 

 74501, 74786, 75966) ; El Morro Nat. Mon. (KUMNH 8557*) , 7.8 mi. SE. Grants 

 (UMMZ 123131). 



Diadophis pimctatus regalis Baird and Girard 



Confusion in applying the name regalis has resulted apparently 

 from a scarcity of museum specimens. Blanchard (1942, pp. 56, 62) 

 considered D. regalis regalis as distinct from D. regalis laetus by 

 absence or great reduction of the neck ring. Only two New Mexico 

 specimens were available to him, however. Wright and Wright 

 (1957, p. 161) followed Blanchard, although Schmidt and Smith 

 (1944, pp. 89-90) previously had regarded presence or absence of the 

 neck ring as anomalous and size and ventral scale counts as more 



