MEP TILES. OF THE VICINITY OF NEW YORK CITY 95 
comprehension. To aid in this idea, the species are grouped in 
the key without regard to technical classification. 
Key to the Identification of the Local Snakes." 
a. SCALES SMOOTH. 
Size small. 
Light brown above; pinkish beneath; 
snout conical....................Worm Snake (Carpho- 
phis amenus). 
Pale green above; white beneath....Green Snake (Cyclo- 
phis vernalts). 
Dark gray above; a yellow ring 
around the neck; yellow beneath. .Ring-necked Snake 
(Diodophts puncta- 
TUS). 
Size moderate. 
Gray, with chestnut saddles above; 
beneath white, with square spots of 
TOUIGYEETLS ae ee PR a en cote es Milk Snake (Lampro- 
peltis doliatus trian- 
gulus). 
Size large. 
Uniform satiny black above; black 
beneath, with the chin and throat 
TULANE: ce eee os aed Cee nae area en Black Snake (Bascan- 
1on constrictor). 
aa. SCALES OF THE BACK FEEBLY KEELED. 
Size large. 
Black above; beneath white, blotched 
with gray; scales of the sides show 
WiiteEUMeS:. Soma fat soe Lee Pilot Blacksnake (Vo- 
luber obsoletus). 
b. SCALES KEELED. 
Size small, 
Brown above; pink beneath........ DeKay’s Snake (Sio- 
reria dekayt). 
Brown or gray above; bright red 
JOSLATELET A Chey. pe tere eee ersten OU eee Storer’s Snake (S. oc- 
ctpito-maculata). 
Dark brown or black above, with a 
yellow stripe down the back and a 
similar stripe on each side on third 
and fourth rows of scales from 
CWO (Gl(=etSv (lls ened Pe OP Std) ou cur eerare a re Ribbon Snake (Tham- 
nophis saurita). 
t All of the local harmless snakes have eyes with round pupils. The two 
species of local poisonous snakes have elliptical (cat-like) pupils. 
