120 



fall. The sexes are said to unite iu September or in October, but it 

 seems probable that this also occurs early in the spring. This is one of 

 the snakes which has the reputation of swallowing the young when they 

 are in peril Col. Nicholas Pike, who is an accurate observer, assured 

 Dr. Goode (5.^, 1873, 182) that he had seen the Garter-snake afford its 

 young family temporary protection in its throat, from which they were 

 soon noticed to emerge. 



On the approach of cold weather these snakes seek some opening in 

 the earth and then become dormant. In some instances they appear to 

 collect in considerable numbers where they pass their winter slumber. 

 We thus occasionally hear of bundles of snakes being plowed up. E. L. 

 EUicott relates {22, xiv, 206) having seen very early in the spring, in 

 Maryland, a bundle of Garter-snakes, in which some hundreds of them 

 could be counted. It is altogether probable that such assemblages are 

 determined partly by the sexual impulses. The Garter -snake leaves its 

 place of hibernation apparently as soon as the first warm days come, al- 

 though they may relapse again into the dormant condition. At Irving- 

 ton I have taken them as early as the 7th of March. 



Like all other snakes this species at intervals sheds the outer coat of 

 the skin. How often this occurs I do not know. Dr. Beuj. Sharp {1, 

 1890, 149) observed the process of exuviation in the Garter-snake. Two 

 specimens were kept in an aquarium. When observed one had just 

 crawled out of the water and then shrugged and shook itself. Finding 

 a narrow place it pressed itself in so that the skin parted along the jaws. 

 This was pushed back behind the head. Then the snake crawled through 

 the opening, escaping from the skin and leaving it turned inside out. 

 The oi:)eration required less than a minute. One of the skins was with- 

 out rent or loss of a scale. This occurred on April 13. Some specimens 

 that I kept for awhile shed the skin about June 1. In case the snake 

 can not have access to water the shedding of the skin is a more prolonged 

 operation. 



Eutainia butlerii, (Cope). 



Eutcenia butleni, Cope, 1888, 3, xi, 399. 



This is described as having the head little distinct, muzzle couical, a 

 little protuberant ; eye not large. There are 144 ventral plates ; sub- 

 caudals 62. The ground color is olive-brown above, and there are the 

 usual three stripes. The median has the usual width. The lateral 

 stripes are unusually wide, covering the second, third and fourth rows 

 of scales. They are all bordered by black. At the upper border of the 

 lateral band there is some indication of spots. No markings on the 

 head and labials. The abdomen is olive, with an elongated black spot 

 at each end of each ventral plate. 



The length of the only specimen known is not given in the description. 

 Docalitv, Richmond, Ind. 



