296 ZOOLOGY. 



Sp. Ch. — Head sub-triangular. Plates on top of head squamiform, irregular, angulated, and imbricated; scales between 

 superciliaries small, numerous, uniform. Four rows of scales between the sub-orbital series (vvliich only extends to the centre 

 of the orbit) and the labials. Labials 15 or 18, nearly uniform. Dorsal series 27-29. Dorsal blotches quadrate, concave 

 before and behind ; intervals greater behind. Spots transversely quadrate posteriorly, ultimately becoming 10 or 12 half rings. 

 Two transverse lines on superciliaries, enclosing about one-third. Stripe from superciliary to angle of jaws crosses angle of 

 the mouth on the second row above labial. Rostral mangined with lighter. 



Milk river, Nebraska. 



This .species is very numerous on the Missouri river and its tributaries, between Port Union, 

 Nebraska, and the Rocky mountains. In July and August they are found very common in the 

 dry canons, and among the willow brush, and cottonwood forests along the banks of the rivers. 

 They are then sluggish and stupid, being, according to popular belief, "blind," and are said 

 to be at that season exceedingly venomous. This stupid condition during the drought of 

 summer is not uncommon to many species of snakes, the torpidity being analogous to that of 

 hybernation, and may therefore be called aestivation. Hunters have told me that the serpents 

 are "blind," because thej^ are at that time about shedding the cuticle, and that as evidence of 

 loss of vision the snake, when provoked, wilt "strike wildly." — S. 



EUTAINIA ATRATA, Kennicott. 



Sp_ cn. — Body compact, cylindrical, moderately stout. Head small and narrow, eye very small ; eight upper labials sixth 

 largest. Dorsal rows of scales seventeen, exterior row largest, higher than long, and very slightly carinated ; the next row 

 smaller, but considerably larger than the third, distinctly carinated. Scales of the central dorsal rows proportionately shorter 

 than in E concinna and £. picktringii. A very broad, deep lemon yellow dorsal stripe, covering nearly three rows, and distinct 

 from head to tip of tail. Tlie rest of the upper parts entirely deep blue black, without a trace of the lateral stripe or of light 

 spots. Abdomen entirely uniform greenish slate, yellowish green under the head. — Kennicott. 



California. — C. 



EUTAINIA COOPERI, Kennicott. 

 Plate XV, Reptiles, Fig. 1. 



Tlie Red Striped Garter Snake. 



Eulainia cooperi, Kenk. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1659, p. — . 



gp. Cii. Hody stout, compact, and cylindrical, as in E. radix, dorsal rows of scales only seventeen. Head short, depressed 



anteriorly. Labials seen above; the 5th twice as large as the 7lh, being the largest of all, and greatly developed. Colors (in 

 alcohol,) above, uniform blackish brown, without spots, or olivaceous brown with two rows of black spots, as in E. iiagroiis, 

 but which do not encroach upon the stripes. Dorsal stripes yellowish, distinct on one and two half rows ; lateral stripe usually 

 distinct coverino- the second and part of the third rows ; the row below being of the same color as the back. Abdomen usually 

 slate color, sometimes lighter. Body frequently suffused with red, especially the dorsal stripe ; abdomen sometimes tinged with 

 red. — Kennicott. 



The most highly colored specimens of this snake were caught in one spot, on the 2d of 

 August, in a small prairie in the Cathlapoot'l valley. They had the colors represented in the 

 plate, but which fade after long keeping in alcohol. Others obtained in the Willopah valley, 

 in 1854, had dark stripes, and young ones were without spots. — C. 



EUTAINIA PICKERINGII, Baird & Girard. 



Pickering's Garter Snake. 



E. pickeringii, B. & G. Cat. N. Amer. Serpents, 1863, p. 27.— Gibard, E.\pl. Exped. Reptiles, p. 150, pi. XIII, 

 fig. 14-20. 



Sp. Ch. Body rather slender ; dorsal rows of scales nineteen, the first large and moderately carinated. Head large and 



high, with tlie upper labials well developed, seven in number, the fifth largest. Color, black above ; the stripes three, greenish 



