AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES. 149 
water and only occurs on land about the banks of streams. It is 
harmless in its disposition. 
Coluber leberis Holbrook, N. Am. Herp., IV, 1840, p. 105, 
Pi 20. 
Tropidonotus leberis Holbrook, 1. c., Ed. 2, IV, 1842, p. 49, Pl. , 
13.—?Abbott, Geol. N. J., 1868, p. 802.—Abbott, Nat. Rambles, 
1885, p. 476. 
Genus NAtTRIxX Laurenti. 
The Water Snakes 
Natrix sipedon (Linnzus). 
PLATE 33. 
Water Snake. Brown Snake. Moccasin. 
Water Moccasin. 
Head depressed, ovoid when viewed above, tapering towards 
snout, and distinct from body, or with each side swollen. Snout 
depressed, its length 24 its width, and sides sloping rather 
abruptly down on loreal regions. It also projects well beyond 
mandible. Eye moderately small, placed over commisure of 
fourth and fifth superior labial plates, and about half way in 
length of mouth. Frontal plate elongated pentagonally, and 
posterior angle obtuse. Internasals angular, with their conver- 
gence anteriorly approximated. Prefrontals broad. Parietals 
large, their convergence approximated posteriorly, forming an 
obtuse angle. Superciliaries narrow, forming 1 preorbital and 2 
postorbitals. Loreal plate small, with side of prefrontal imposed 
above. Rostral broadly hexangular. Nasal large, nostril pierc- . 
ing center. Superior labials 8, forming convex ridge, and gradu- 
ally enlarged to sixth and seventh. Inferior labials 9, fourth and 
fifth largest. ‘Temporal shield touches postorbitals, and followed 
by 2 others. Scales on upper surface of body each with a well- 
defined median keel, those on sides more obsolete, especially 
lowest series. In transverse series over back 23 scales, and 112 
