178 BULLETIN 61, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Ciij)tiire fish in captivity, but since in the wild state they are not par- 

 ticularly aquatic, the truth of the matter is probably that they cap- 

 ture these forms when they encounter them in small pools, but that 

 this is comparatively seldom. The number and kinds of insects eaten 

 is also a questionable point. It is true that many species are found 

 in the stomachs examined, but, as Surf ace (1906, 149) says, many of 

 these are "taken inside of the toads and other batrachians which the 

 garter-snake had eaten." However, both adults and young are very 

 fond of earthworms. As other garter-snakes, sirtalis apparently 

 does not refuse dead food. Mr. N. A. Wood, of the University of 

 Michigan, reported to the writer, on May 18, 1907, that he saw a speci- 

 men of this species swallowing a yellow warbler, which he had observed 

 lying dead in the same place on the preceding day. In the latter part 

 of October, 1907, the writer discovered an individual at Portage Lake, 

 Washtenaw County, Michigan, busily engaged in an attempt to swal- 

 low the dried remains of a large green frog (Rana damitans) . 



The breeding habits have been commented upon several times, but 

 are as yet only incompletely known. In southern Michigan copula- 

 tion takes place in April, and at this time it is reported on good 

 authority that these snakes often collect in groups, probably owing 

 to the procreative impulse. I have not witnessed this nor can I 

 find any observations on the act of copulation. The latter I have 

 seen but once, and then but imperfectly. It took place on April 21, 

 1906, between two specimens in captivity. The male in this case lay 

 at full length beside the female, and evidently attempted to excite 

 her by gently rubbing her neck with his snout. He finally threw a 

 fold of his tail across hers, and turning his ventral surface against her 

 side began spasmodic contractions of the abdominal muscles, which 

 were continued from twenty to thirty minutes. Unfortunately the 

 snakes were then disturbed and the observations ceased. They 

 indicate, however, that there may be some interesting courtship 

 reactions to be observed in these snakes. 



The period of parturition extends from the latter part of July to 

 about the middle of September. Both of these dates are only ap})roxi- 

 mate, as definite observations are wanting. The number of young 

 is very variable, the average range in number being probably about 

 10-30, while as many as 78 have been recorded in a single brood, which 

 is not at all an unusual number, since imrietalis may have, according 

 to our observations, as many as-73. After birth the young remain for 

 a short time about the mother, but this time is probably limited to a 

 few hours at most. In captivity there is little tendency discernable 

 to stay near the mother, and although we have several times seen a 

 mother and her brood in a wild state, in every case noted, when the 

 mother became alarmed, or for some other reason moved away, the 

 young scattered in all directions, and it is improbable that they ever 



