The Striped Snakes — Garter Snakes 



THE SINGLE-STRIPED GARTER SNAKE 

 Euhzfiia elegans variety injernalis, (Cope) 



This is a fairly distinct, showy reptile, but very closely 

 related to the typical form. In size it is exactly like the latter 

 and the scalation is the same. 



Colouration. — Olive or blackish, with a rich orange-yellow 

 stripe on the back. There are no traces of stripes on the sides. The 

 abdomen is olive, with a central row of yellow blotches, becoming 

 narrower and disappearing toward the tail. The throat is bright 

 yellow. 



Young specimens of this variety show fairly distinct greenish 

 stripes upon the sides, a character demonstrating the very close 

 relationship to the typical form. 



Dimensions. — ^Total Length 26 inches. 



Length of Tail 6 



Greatest Diameter f 



Width of Head f " 



Length of Head i| 



Distribution. — California. 



Habits. — Were it not for the remarkable actions exhibited 

 by serpents of the colouration of this variety, the writer would 

 be tempted to consider the present reptile as but a phase of 

 the typical form. From the latter its habits are different and 

 quite eccentric — at least as regards its activity and methods 

 of locomotion. It progresses in a rapid series of close, S-shaped 

 movements and generally in an oblique direction to that in which 

 the head is pointing — an evolution performed, though at a greatly 

 reduced speed, by the "side-winder" rattlesnake. While mak- 

 ing off in this fashion, if the snake is closely pursued, it will 

 actually leap forward, for a distance of nearly a foot, by suddenly 

 straightening the body. The writer has repeatedly noted the 

 habit of these snakes of leaping from their cage when it is opened, 

 throwing the body forward in a straight position, then making 

 off over the floor at such a gait that it required some agility to 

 catch them. The oblique method of progression at such times 

 is almost uncanny. Of a large number of specimens, comprising 

 three separate shipments, all displayed the same agile move- 

 ments. They fed voraciously upon small toads and occasionally 

 upon frogs, but exhibited a decided liking for the former. A 



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