97 



on e:ich side, occupying the 5th row tVoiu tlie outside. Along each flank 

 there is a yeUowish laud lying on the upper half of the 1st and the lower 

 half of the 2d rows of scales. Below this pale band there is a dark line 

 occupying the outer ends of the ventral plates and the lower half of the- 

 1st row of dorsal scales. The belly is yellow, with two brown bands which 

 lie close together and run from the throat to the vent. Upper labials^, 

 lower jaw, and the throat yellow. 



This species inhabits the United States east of the Mississippi River. 

 In Indiana, it has been taken as follows : Franklin county (Butler and 

 Hughes) ; Parke county (Butler) ; St. Paul, Decatur county (Hay) ; 

 Terre Haute (Blatchley) ; Richmond (F. C. Test) ; Wabash county (W. 

 O. Wallace). It may be expected to occur along all our streams. 



This species seems to be wholly aquatic. When pursued, it exhibits 

 great skill in secreting itself among the stones and other accumulations 

 along the water's edge. Its colors are in a high degree protective. Little 

 appears to be known concerning its special habits. Mr. A. W. Butler in- 

 forms me that in Franklin County it appears as early as March 20, and 

 is to be found still in November. 



A gravid female 24 inches long, from Wabash county, contained 8 

 eggs, each of which had within it a young snake about 6.5 inches long, 

 but not yet ready to be born. The eggs differ in form and length, on 

 account of pressure. The two hindermost lie in the left oviduct. The 

 egg coverings are very thin and delicate. The brown longitudinal stripes 

 of the young are so distinct that the species might easily be determined. 

 The brown ventral bands have not yet appeared. 



Natrix kirtlandi, (Kenn). 



Kirtland' .s Snake. 



Regina kirtlandi, Kennicott, 1856, i, 95 ; Tropidoelonium kirtlandi. 

 Cope, 1860, 1, 340; Tropidonotus kirtlandii, Garman, 1883, 13, 28, pL 

 1, fig. 3 ; Clonophis kirtlandii, Cope, 1888, 3, xi, 391. 



A snake having a moderately slender body, a small head, and a tail 

 constituting about one-fourth the entire length. Head little larger than 

 the neck. Crown-shields nine. Snout rather short. Loral present^ 

 higher than long. Nasal divided, or only partly so. Anteoi'bital one, 

 high. Postorbitals two, the upper small. Upper labials six (five), the 

 fifth the largest. Lower labials, seven or eight, the fifth and sixth the 

 largest. Scales all distinctly keeled ; arranged in nineteen rows. Ven- 

 trals 120 to 133. Subcaudals 50 to 65 pairs. 



In life, the ground color of the upper surface is a dull red, most dis- 

 tinct along the middle line ; all the scales dotted with brown. Along 

 each, flank, involving the outer one-fourth of the ventral plates and two 

 7 



