The Striped Snakes— Garter Snakes 



in their centres. The abdomen is cream colour, with black 

 blotches on the edges of the plates. 



Distribution. — Southern New Mexico; northern Mexico. 



Habits. — This snake frequents the borders of streams and 

 when alarmed plunges into the water, whence it dives to the 

 bottom to conceal itself among aquatic vegetation. 



THE RED-SPOTTED GARTER SNAKE 

 EutcEfiia rufopunctata, (Cope) 



But one specimen of this species seems to be known. It is 

 closely related to the preceding reptile. The general colour 

 is light brown. There are no stripes. The forward portion of 

 the body is marked with six rows of small, reddish spots, which, 

 on the central portion, become obscure; they are not distin- 

 guishable on the latter half. 



The length of the type specimen is 10} inches. It was 

 captured in southern Arizona. 



To the Student: In the work of identifying species and 

 varieties of this interesting genus, the student may come in 

 contact with many knotty problems — possibly become enthusias- 

 tic over the diversities of colour and pattern that are always to 

 be found in a large series of specimens. It is then that the writer 

 begs the student to pause and meditate. Do not theorise, and 

 afterward inflict scientific annals with descriptions of "new 

 species" and sub-species, but devote your energies along lines 

 that will simplify classification. Certain it is, that there are 

 among reptiles many alleged species which are doubtful. Is 

 it not of greater value to science, to discover the points by which 

 these may be stricken from our lists than to create others of equal 

 uncertainty? Unfortunately, among scientists, name-making 

 and theory has been the rule rather than practical work to afford 

 lasting results. And to carry out the latter the student must 

 regard a subject from a broad standpoint. Valuable time should 

 not be wasted in hair-splitting discussions. Instead, however, 

 large series should be examined with a view of establishing 

 relationship in the comparison of one form with, another. North 

 American herpetology stands in need of such researches. 



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