The Striped Snakes — Garter Snakes 



number of these specimens gave birth to young and, judging 

 from the small number in each htter, this form does not pro- 

 duce large broods as compared with related forms and species 

 of the genus. The largest brood produced numbered fifteen 

 young. These were born on the 20th of August. Another 

 specimen gave birth to 8 young on the twenty-third of the 

 same month, and a third to 7 young, on the 5th of September. 



THE GREEN GARTER SNAKE 

 Eutania elegans, variety vagrans, (Baird & Girard) 



The present form is easily recognised. The eyes are small 

 and the upper lips are swollen and covered with large shields — 

 characters which impart a sinister aspect to the head. The 

 body is rather stout. 



Colouration. — Greenish gray or yellowish above, with a 

 narrow, yellow stripe on the back and very indistinct stripes 

 on the sides. Between the stripes are two rows of small, rounded 

 black spots; on the forward part of the body, some of the spots 

 of the two upper rows fuse together, thus breaking the central 

 stripe. With some specimens the spots over the greater part 

 of the body fuse into the formation of narrow, wavy cross-bands. 

 The abdomen is gray, profusely dotted or marbled with black. 

 There is usually a pair of dark blotches behind the temples. 



Dimensions. — A specimen from Beaver County, Utah, 

 shows the following dimensions: 



Total Length .28J inches. 



Length of Tail 6f 



Greatest Diameter f " 



Width of Head f " 



Length of Head i ^V " 



Distrihuiioyi. — The variety vagrans is widely distributed 

 and very abundant. It occurs from the Plains region to the 

 Pacific coast — northward to Oregon and southward into south- 

 ern California, Arizona and New Mexico. 



Habits. — In habits this form appears to be quite as aquatic 

 as the typical water snakes — as least as regards many spec- 

 imens figuring in the records of the writer. Captive specimens 

 will enter a tank in chase of minnows and display great agility 

 in catching the darting fish. This reptile literally swarms over 

 many portions of the West. 



228. 



