The Striped Snakes — Garter Snakes 



Dimensions. — Total Length 32 inches 



Length of Pail 6J " 



Greatest Diameter j " 



Width of Head f " 



Length of Head ij 



Distribution. — Ihe common striped snake of the Central 

 States, where it occurs over an extended area. It is found from 

 western Ohio to the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. 

 Northward the range is into southern Canada and southward 

 into northern Texas. 



Habits. — Although many specimens of this snake are found 

 in dry areas, others frequent the neighborhood of streams and 

 pools, where their habits are much like those of the water snakes. 

 When alarmed they take to the water, and diving to the bottom 

 wriggle among aquatic plants where they remain for some time. 

 These specimens feed largely upon fishes. It is hardy as 

 a captive, feeding voraciously upon frogs, toads and fishes. A 

 large brood of living young is produced in August. 



BUTLER'S GARTER SNAKE 



Eutxnia biitleri, (Cope) 



Butler's Garter Snake is a peculiar and distinct species, 

 both from its form and pattern. It is one of the smaller species. 



The body is stout, but tapers to a long, thin neck and a 

 very small head, which is of the same width as the neck. This 

 small head is a strong characteristic and quite distinctly sepa- 

 rates this species from any other snake of the genus. The tail is 

 very short. The outlines of this snake are much like those of 

 the pigmy water snake — Tropidoclonium lineatuni. 



Colouration. — The yellow stripes are vividly delineated and 

 ribbon-like. The character of the stripe upon the side tends to 

 place this species midway between those possessing the lateral 

 (side) stripe on the third and fourth rows of scales and the suc- 

 ceeding members of the genus — with the lateral stripe on the 

 second and third rows of scales. 



The ground colour is uniform, rich dark brown or black, 

 with a vivid yellow stripe on the back and a stripe of similar 

 colour on the side, covering the upper half of the second, the entire 

 third and the lower half of the fourth rows of scales. Beneath this 

 stripe is a broad, dark band, as seen on the ribbon snake. 1 he 



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