76 NEW. YORK -ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
vannah River. Mr. Snyder noosed an enormous water snake, of 
doubtful identity. The reptile broke the noose and escaped. We 
estimated its length at over five feet, and its weight at least eight 
pounds. Three splendid specimens of the Copper-bellied Water 
Snake, were captured. In reaching for one of them, the bank 
gave way, and Mr. Snyder was precipitated into the stream. 
“ August 14th: Our last day at Robertsville. Took three sad- 
dle mules and started into Black Swamp. Presently the vegeta- 
tion became so dense we abandoned the animals, and proceeded 
on foot. In a series of lagoons and partially dried-up streams, 
we captured eleven specimens of the Cotton-mouth Moccasin 
(Ancistrodon piscivorus), the only species of poisonous snake 
collected. Thousands of fish having died from the evaporation 
of the swamp, the moccasins were discovered to have been feed- 
ing on the harmless water snakes. A number of these were dis- 
gorged.”’ 
Besides enlarging the collection in the Reptile House of the 
Zoological Park, the expedition proved valuable in the discovery 
of several interesting varieties of snakes. Although these varie- 
ties were not of a character sufficiently distinct to merit new 
varietal names, they were highly interesting as examples of the 
variation of the species to which they belonged. Several examples 
of the Natrix fasciata erythrogaster were especially brilliant, in 
different shades of red. One of the most valuable specimens col- 
lected was a variety of Thamnophis sirtalis (the garter snake). 
This specimen, now thriving in the Park collection, shows a 
ground color of brilliant brick-red, with the skin between the 
scales of the same color; the body is strongly tessellated with 
black, and is provided with the usual longitudinal stripes, which 
are of a straw color. This snake was captured in a cotton-field ; 
and near by was a specimen of the usual coloration. 
Soon after the arrival of the captured specimens in New York, 
the venomous snakes gave birth to twenty-three young, and 
among the harmless snakes, forty-seven young were born. 
The alligator eggs began hatching on the 14th of October; and 
during the next week, ten specimens emerged. The entire lot 
of eggs and young alligators was immediately placed on exhibi- 
tion, and attracted much attention. 
