CROCODILIANS, LIZARDS, AND SNAKES. 



997 



Abdominal scuta, 123, the last one divided; subcaudal, 59. Dorsal 

 rows of scales, 19. 



Measurements. — Length, 488 ram., of which the tail measures 112 mm. 

 As yet this species has only been detected in the northern central 

 part of the eastern region, where it is not uncommon. The specimens 

 obtained have been fonnd in the woods, generally under logs. Its 

 habits are thus not like those of a yatrix. It is rather sluggish and 

 not very pugnacious. 



In its distribution this species is one of the group which is restricted 

 to a few of the northern States of the Mississippi Valley. These are 

 Wisconsin, Mi(!higan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. 



Natrix kirtlandii Kennicolt. 



Catalogue 

 No. 



Number 

 of speci- 

 mens. 



Locality. 



"WheD 

 collected. 



From whom received. 



Nature of 

 specimeu. 



1514 

 12627 

 17957 

 17953 



Wp8t NorthfieUl, llliuoi.s . 



Kalamazoo, Michigan 



Irvington, Indiana 



Winchester, Kandolph 

 County, Indiana. 



Nov. — , 1870 



R. Kennicott . . . 

 G. B. Slid worth. 



O.P. Hav 



do..*. 



Alcoholic, 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 



Professor Hay remarks : ' 



This species is common about Iitdianapolis, almost as common as Eutainia Hrfalis. 

 It is fonnd in Monroe County (D. S. Jordan) ; Crawfordsville (Beacliler) ; Winchester 

 (Engle and Wright) ; rare about Terre Haute, common in Putnam County (Blatchley). 



This is a handsome species of snalce, and one that is wliolly innocent ; neverthe- 

 less it exercises the right of the innocent, and when attacked makes a show of self- 

 defense. It has a habit of flattening itself excessively, so that it becomes very 

 broad and thin. It will strike vigorously, but does no harm. It apjjears early in 

 the spring, and is seen late in the autumn. In a nuld winter and on a sunny day, I 

 have seen it on January 25. On the other hand, I have seen it as late as the middle 

 of October; indeed, it appears to be more abundant late in the autumn than in the 

 summer. About this date, several half-grown ones were found. On the 21st of 

 March one was dug up out of the mud on the margin of a pond. A specimen from 

 Win(!liester, Indiana, contained eight eggs. These had apparently not begun devel- 

 opment, and were only about 0.11 inch long. The species probably produces living 

 young. 



NATRIX STORERIOIDES Cope. 



Xatrix storerioidcs Coi>E, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XI, 1889, p. :W1. 

 Tropidocloiiium storerioldes Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1865, p. 190. 

 Storeria storerioidcs (Jarm.\x, N. Amer. Kept., 1883, p. 29. 

 Jsch))0(niathi(sstorcrioides Hori.KNGEK, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus., 2ded., 1, 1893, p. 288. 



Size small, form not slender, muzzle obtuse; in general, similar to 

 Storeria delai/i. Scales fifteen rows, the inferior row only smooth, 

 much broader than the others, which are narrowest medially. Scales 

 of tail strongly keeled, in six rows. ISIasals not elongate, usually 

 entirely, sometimes half separated. Loreal trapezoidal, touching the 

 decurved postfrontals by the superior angle only, its hinder suture 

 shortest, sometimes entering the orbit posteriorly between the twopre- 



' Batrachians and Reptiles of Indiana, Indianapolis, 1893, p. 97. 



