Hurter — Herpetology of Missouri. 137 



Color.- — Color above clay yellow, or brown, or greenish olive, with a 

 median longitudinal stripe of brown, and on each side above the lateral 

 grooves a wide black or brown stripe including three narrow whitish 

 lines. On the side of the abdomen beneath the lateral grooves are two 

 narrow dark stripes. Beneath yellowish white. 



In some specimens the color above is very dark, greenish olive; 

 posterior border (in the corners) of each scale, with two bluish or 

 greenish white rounded spots. The central line of each series, espe- 

 cially where transversed by the ridge, is darker than the ground color, 

 and not spotted; the wbole pattern may be said to form transverse 

 bands over the back. 



Size. — From point of head to vent 247 mm.; from vent to end of tail 

 455 mm. 



Habitat. — This species is found from Florida, west to 

 Texas, north to Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and 

 Wisconsin. Missouri localities: St. Louis, Jefferson, 

 Oregon, Howell, Stone, Jasper, Johnson, Jackson, War- 

 ren, St. Francois and Phelps Counties. 



Habits. — The Glass Snake is rather scarce. During 

 twenty-five years of collecting in the state I have only 

 caught two myself. These I found under rocks. In Jef- 

 ferson County the farmers come across them of tener when 

 breaking new ground. Specimens with stub-tails are 

 mostly found. 



On account of the serpent-like form of this lizard, it is 

 almost universally regarded as a snake. It may be dis- 

 tinguished from the serpents by the little distensible 

 mouth, the firm union of the sides of the lower jaws at 

 their symphysis, by the possession of eyelids, and by the 

 rows of small scales covering the belly. The facility with 

 which the whole animal appears to break up into short 

 pieces has given rise to the popular name " Glass Snake" 

 or " Joint Snake." The popular belief is that these 

 pieces have the power of reuniting themselves, so that 

 the reptile is thoroughly reconstructed and as sound as 

 ever. Concerning these matters there has been a great 

 amount of discussion in the newspapers and even in some 

 scientific journals. As regards the liability of the animal 



