139 



salmon-red. Thus, in general, it should not be diflScult to distin- 

 guish each of these two species of the same genus. 



This small serpent, which is about a foot long, is found in the 

 Eastern United States, westward to the Rocky mountains, and 

 is not especially rare in this State, although it is not often seen. 

 We have received specimens from the following counties: Bucks, 

 Dauphin, Erie, Huntingdon, Luzerne, Monroe, Montour, Northamp- 

 ton and Venango. A comparison of this with the former species 

 shows a tendency toward its eastward rather than westward dis- 

 tribution. It lives among brush and stones and is protected by 

 its coloration. 



Comparatively little is known of its habits, although it is not one 

 of the egg-laying species, but is ovoviviparous, as our dissections 

 show with certainty. From the specimens examined, we are sure 

 in saying that it bears its young from the latter part of July to 

 the last of August. It is no doubt mostly nocturnal in its habits, 

 finding concealment during the day ben(^ath rocks and stones, and 

 coming forth at niuht for food. 



Fig-. 5. — Diagram showing the percentages of Food 

 Items of Bock Snake (Storeria dekayi) : 67 per 

 cent. Slugs and Snails; 16 per cent. Insect Larvae; 

 17 'per cent. Earth Worms. 



Of the twenty-one specimens which we have examined, only four 

 contained food. This material was found to consist of earthworms, 

 slugs, snails and insect larvae. The details are as follows: Earth- 

 worms in one; slugs in three; undetermined snails in two; and unde- 

 terminable insect larvae in two. This shows that these little serpents 



