The Brown Snakes 



STORER'S SNAKE OR RED-BELLIED SNAKE; BROWN 



SNAKE, GROUND SNAKE, ETC. 



Storeria occipitomaculata, (Storer) 



Slightly smaller than the preceding species, but similar 

 in general form. 



Colouration. — Chestnut brown or grayish above. A streak 

 of paler shade is generally present on the back. The abdomen 

 is brilliant red, bordering which colour is a tinge of slate gray 

 on the edges of the abdominal plates. 



The head is slightly darker than the body; immediately 

 behind the head is a prominent yellow spot, and each side of the 

 neck is a smaller spot of similar colour. These spots at once 

 distinguish this reptile from the preceding and closely related 

 species. Other points of distinction are given in the description 

 of the latter snake. 



Colour variations. — Above, individual specimens are in- 

 clined to vary to a considerable extent. The commoner form 

 is brown, with a paler band on the back. On some specimens 

 there are rows of indistinct, dark brown spots. Others are of 

 a uniform brown above, with no traces of a paler band, while 

 on each side of the vermilion underside, is a broad band of bluish- 

 gray, narrowing the central, red portion to about one-third the 

 width of the abdominal plates. 



Occasional specimens are dark gray, or almost black, with 

 a bright yellow band on the back. Such specimens are of a rich 

 crimson on the under surface. Yet another variation is gray 

 with two rows of white dots upon the back. The spots on the 

 rreck, however, are seldom lacking and serve to identify any of 

 these varying forms. 



Young specimens are very dark brown, or black, with a 

 whitish collar. 



Dimensions. — By comparing a large series of the Red- 

 bellied Snake and the DeKay's Snake, the writer is led to be- 

 lieve the former to be a smaller species. The measurements 

 given show an average of an extensive series: 



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