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airtalis jparietalis (Say), is known as the Green-striped variety of 

 Garter Snake (See Plate XXI), because the stripes are dull greenish 

 and the space between the spots on the side is brick red in color. 

 This is a very beautiful Garter Snake and is a western variety, 

 being found mostly from Indiana westward. 



The Garter Snakes are all entirely harmless, having no poison 

 nor poison glands, and being unable to inflict any injury whatever 

 upon mankind. The stories that are sometimes told about their 

 attempting to choke persons are entirely without foundation, and 

 there is no reason why superstition and ignorance should combine 

 to crush out the life of this animal. It is partly nocturnal in its 

 habits, although it can often be seen sunning itself during the day. 

 It invariably retreats in the most quiet manner when disturbed 

 by mankind, and attempts to conceal itself in holes or beneath 

 stones or logs. 



All Garter Snakes are ovoviviparous, bringing forth living young. 

 The eggs of the Garter Snake begin to develop in May and when 

 one-half inch in length they show the spiral of the embryo. These 

 continue to develop until they reach a length of six inches, when 

 the yolk is absorbed and the snakes are born. The young of the 

 Garter Snakes are born between the 25th of July and the 25th of 

 'August. This is shown by our specimens No. 1073 (d), No. 3062 (c), 

 No. 3127, and No. 7127 (a). The old snake lives near the young 

 and guards them during the fall. They pass the winter in rubbish, 

 in the earth, beneath stones, or in hollow logs, and in the spring 

 the young shift for themselves. 



Thie many stories that are told concerning these and similar 

 serpents swallowing their young for protection must have truth 

 as their basis, but by the most careful efforts we have up to the 

 present time been unable to find any evidence of this excepting 

 from the reports of other persons. In over two hundred specimens 

 which we have examined and dissected we have never yet found 

 any young in the stomach of the parent, although we have often 

 found the unborn young in ovaries. If any person be able to kill 

 and send us a specimen which has been seen swallowing its young, 

 we shall reward him well for his trouble. We wish them sent dead, 

 but with the young in the stomach just as they were swallowed at 

 the time the observation was made and the parent killed. 



We have received the following specimens from the following 

 counties in the State, but desire others of this and other species 

 for continuing our studies: 

 AUegheny County, Davison, Dodds, Union Station. 



Johnston, Stewart, Pittsburg. 



Cruikshank, O. T. (Dr.) Swlssvale. 



■The Borroughs Club of Amer., .Wllkinsburg. 



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