The Water Snakes 



THE BLOTCHED WATER SNAKE 

 Tropidonotus fasciatus, variety iransversus, (Ilallowell) 

 Another variety of the banded water snake, and rather 

 smaller in size than the preceding. 



Colouration.— With this reptile the pattern oj the entire upper 

 surface resembles that of the latter portion of the preceding form. 

 i'here is a series of large blotches on the back, separated by nar- 

 row lines of ground-colour about one scale wide; on the sides 

 are alternating blotches, separated by brownish or olive spaces 

 wider than the blotches themselves. The abdomen is yellow; 

 the base of each plate is clouded with brown or black. 



Distribution. — Appears to be limited to the western portion 

 of Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas. 



THE DIAMOND-BACKED WATER SNAKE 

 Tropidonotus rhombijer, (Hallowell) 



Large in size and very stout in form, with very distinct 

 head, on which the lip plates are protruding and swollen, pro- 

 ducing a sinister mien. The eyes are placed well forward, toward 

 the snout. 



Colouration. — Brown or olive, with a narrow chain of black 

 markings down the back, enclosing diamond-shaped areas of 

 the ground-colour. At the junction of each rhomb the black 

 is widest. From the lower angle of each "diamond" is a band 

 of black, about two scales wide, extending down the side of the 

 body. 



The abdomen is yellow, the edges of the abdominal plates 

 being blotched with dark brown, a character more pronounced 

 on the latter portion of the body. 



Young specimens are yellowish-brown, with the chain of 

 markings on the back and bands on the side very black and in 

 strong contrast to the ground-colour. 



Dimensions. — One of the largest species of the genus, at- 

 taining a length of five feet. Following are the dimensions of 

 a fair-sized adult: 



Total Length 4 feet, 1 inch. 



Length of Tail 10 inches. 



Diameter of Body I J 



Width of Head if "^ 



Length of Head 2 J 



254 



