The Striped Snakes — Garter Snakes 



convey illustrations of the general run of colouration of Ihe 

 typical representatives of the different species and that many wide 

 diversities of both colour and pattern occur among these snakes. 

 Consequently the key can be nothing but a general outline of 

 the genus Eutcenia. Those species marked with a * exhibit phases 

 of variation that may be very confusing to the beginner. Such 

 variations are treated in separate keys under the heads of the 

 respective reptiles to which they appeal, in the detailed descrip- 

 tions following the key. 



Only those species occurring in the United States and north- 

 ern Me.\ico have been considered. Several species inhabit 

 Mexico and Central America, but it is necessary that our museums 

 should possess larger series than those now existing, before a 

 fair estimate of the standing of these extreme southern snakes, 

 may be given. 



The key follows:* 



Division A. General Pattern. — Three Yellowish Stripes on a Darker 

 Ground-colour. 



'a. Verv slender. Tail a third or more of the total length. 

 Brown or black; three, vivid yellow stripes. 



RiBBOiN SNAKE, E. saurita. 

 Distribution. — United States east of the Mis- 

 sissippi. 

 Olive, brown or black ; yellow stripes on the sides 

 but none on the back except for a short dis- 

 tance behind the head. 



SOUTHERN RIBBON SNAKE, E. sackeni. 



Distribution. — South Carolina, Georgia and 

 Florida. 



b. Moderately slender. Tail less than a third the total 

 length. 



Brown or black; three yellow stripes — those on 

 sides paler than the one on back, 



WESTER.N RIBBON SNAKE, E. proxima.* 



Distribution. — United States west of the Mis- 

 sissippi, except in Indiana and Illinois; 

 southward to Mexico. 



c. Moderately stout. T ail about a quarter tlie total length. 

 Ashy-brown; three, narrow yellow stripes. 



ARIZONA GARTER SNAKE, E. megalopS. 



Distribution. — New Mexico, Arizona and 

 Mexico. 



d. Body stout. Tail about a quarter the total length. 

 Brown or black; three, rather broad yellow 



stripes . 



PLAINS GARTER SNAKE, E. radix. 



Distribution. — Indiana to the Rockies; Canada 

 to Texas. A very common species. 



* From Arthur Erwin Brown, Superintendent of the Zoological 

 Gardens, in Philadelphia, who is one of the foremost authorities on the 

 variations of North American snakes, the writer has received many 

 valuable suggestions regarding this genus. 



2IS 



Group I. 



Side stripes on < 

 the third and 

 fourth rows of 

 scales. 



