832 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



size as the last, is visible ou the edge of the abdomen, sometimes iuvolv- 

 ing the first aud second rows of scales; these are opposite to the dorsal 

 blotches. Rest of the abdomen yellowish- white, with alternating quad 

 rate blotches of black. The brown color becomes lighter on the sides. 



A second much larger specimen from Michigan has the ground color 

 a yellowish-brown, and there is a black streak from the eye to the angle 

 of the mouth; a second vertical stripe under the eye. The spots on 

 the back are only about forty-five, of which thirteen belong to the tail. 



This is the most robust species of the genus, and it reaches as large 

 a size as any. Every character is consistent. The head is short, the 

 parietal plates are short, the body is short, the tail is short, and the 

 spots are short relatively to the other species of the genus. 



Cat. Nos. Gastrosteges. ^ 



1570 205 + 1. 



1620 196 + 1. 



1727 208+1. 



72G9 217 + 1. 



This species is distributed over the northwest of the eastern district, 

 not being known from east of Illinois or south of the mouth of the 

 Missouri River. 



Examination of the type specimen of the Elapliis ruhriceps Dumeril 

 and Bibron shows that it belongs to the G. vulpinus. 

 Coluber rulpinvs Baird and Girard. 



Catalogue 

 No. 



1570 



7269 

 2324 

 1727 



1729 

 9613 

 9927 

 9613 



10759 



Number 

 of speci- 

 mens. 



Localitj'. 



When 

 collected. 



Grosse Island, Michigan . 



Racine, Wisconsin 



Rock Island, Illinois 



Fort Snelling, Minnesota . 



-do 



Webster City, Iowa. 



do 



do 



(?) 



— , 1878 

 — , 1878 

 — , 1878 



From whom received. 



Rev. C. Fox 



Dr. Geo. Suckley, U. S. 

 A. 



Nature of 

 specimen. 



Charles Aldrich . 



do 



do 



Alcoholic 



type. 



do. 



do. 



do. 



do. 

 Alcoholic, 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 



Prof. O. P. Hay^ writes of this species as follows: 



The fox snake appears to be moderately common in some localities. It is often 

 kuowu as the " pilot snake," and is supposed to have some mysterious connection 

 with the rattlesnake. It is a wholly innocent snake, although it seems a little 

 inclined to be pugnacious. Dr. Suckley - states that one of these snakes was brought 

 to him alive at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. When provoked it showed its irritation 

 by vibrating the tip of its slender tail, which, when striking a crumpled leaf or any 

 other small object, would produce a well-marked rattling noise, very similar to that 

 made by the rattlesnake under the same circumstances. Other observers make 

 mention of the same habit. 



Mr. Robert Ridgway, of the Smithsonian Institution, writes me that, while hunt- 

 ing near Mount Carmel, Illinois, he came upon a fox snake over six feet in length. 

 It immediately showed a disposition to fight, and Mr. Ridgway says it was the most 



' Batrachians and Reptiles of Indiana, Seventeenth Ann. Rept. State Geol. Indiana, 

 1892, p. 499. 

 2 Pacific R. R. Surv., XII, Pt. 2, p. 300. 



