642 ANIMAL LIFE IN THE YO SEMITE 



transverse or diagonal line across the body, never number more than 17 

 rows, whereas a garter snake always has more than 17 and may have as 

 many as 21 rows. The racer's scales are all smooth, whereas those of the 

 garter snake are ridged or keeled. Both species have a single stripe along 

 each side of body, but that of the racer involves the third and fourth rows 

 of scales, while that on the garter snake is on the second and third rows. 

 The racer never has a light stripe down the middle of the back, whereas 

 this is a frequent (though not invariable) mark in the garter snake. 

 Finally, the habitats of the two are different. The racer prefers dry 

 chaparral and tree-covered areas, whereas the garter snake usually lives 

 about water or in damp meadows. 



All the racers are rapacious snakes, and live more or less upon verte- 

 brates ; the present species, at the appropriate season, takes toll of nestling 

 birds. The long slender form of body seems to be a correlative of climbing 

 ability, as 'tree' snakes in all parts of the world are of this general form. 



In a dry grassy caiion bottom near Coulterville, May 12, 1919, one of 

 these snakes was come upon while it was on the ground; its body rested 

 in a long U-shape and its head was slightly raised. The snake was per- 

 fectly motionless, not even running its tongue out and in, as would a garter 

 or gopher snake under similar circumstances. The snake was watched for 

 a minute or more and a photograph was taken. During this time it could 

 not be seen that the animal had moved at all. Then one of the observers 

 changed position and advanced slightly in the direction of the snake, 

 whereupon the latter abruptly vanished down a small hole in the ground, 

 previously unnoticed by us. 



While at work in camp at Pleasant Valley on the afternoon of May 27, 

 1915, our attention was attracted by a disturbance among some Western 

 Chipping Sparrows and Green-backed Goldfinches in the top of a small 

 blue oak. The cause for excitement was found to be a California Striped 

 Racer about 10 feet above the ground in the oak. The snake was at the 

 site of a nest and apparently just about to seiz,e a young bird. The snake 

 was shot by one of our party and then removed from the tree, but the 

 excited birds did not cease their loud chippings for some time afterward. 



Among some scattered manzanita bushes on a hillside near the Mc- 

 Carthy ranch, a California Striped Racer was found on June 5, 1915, while 

 it was raiding the brood of a pair of Black-throated Gray Warblers. The 

 snake appeared to have already swallowed one of the. nestlings, and another 

 lay on the ground. The female parent was flying about distractedly, 

 uttering notes of concern. At our approach the snake attempted to make 

 off into the brush but was shot. 



