The Racers 



several mice or animals of a similar size about every five days. 

 The prey is not constricted. 



ihis species lays from one to two dozen eggs. 



THE RED RACER 

 Zamenis flagelliformis, variety jrenatus, (Stejneger) 



Like the typical form the scales are in seventeen rows. The 

 body is slender and the tail very long. 



Colouration. — With this variety, the colours of which are 

 decidedly reddish, the transverse bands of the young are re- 

 tained through life. 



The ground-colour is pale reddish-brown; many of the 

 scales have darker tips and some are narrowly margined with 

 pink. The forward quarter of the body is crossed by dark bands, 

 but these are not very distinct. The greater portion of the ab- 

 domen is pink, though this hue is usually mixed with yellow 

 and clouded with gray. 



Dimensions. — Smaller than the typical form. 



Distribution. — The southwestern United States — Nevada, 

 Utah, Arizona and southern portions of California. 



THE PINK-BELLIED RACER 

 Zamenis flagellijormis, variety piceus, (Cope) 

 Size and conformation like the preceding variety. This 

 form exhibits from seventeen to nineteen rows of scales. 



Colouration. — Uniform, dark reddish-brown above; uni- 

 form pink beneath. 



Distribution. — But a few specimens of this snake are known. 

 All were taken in southern Arizona. 



THE BANDED RACER 

 Zamenis lateralis, (Hallowell) 

 Slightly stouter than the preceding species. The scales 

 are in seventeen rows. The colouration renders the species very 

 easy to determine. 



Colouration. — Dark brown or black, with a single yellow 

 stripe on each side of the body, extending from the neck to the 

 tail. On brown specimens the stripes are narrowly margined 

 with black. 



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