2 
much variation. They eat worms, insects, frogs, toads and 
small quadrupeds such as mice, rats and young rabbits. Young 
birds and chickens are occasionally devoured. The amphibians 
eat principally small insects, worms, and some of the small mol- 
lusks. The bullfrog has been accused of preying upon young 
ducks. 
The snakes are nearly all oviparous. They deposit their 
eggs which are elliptical in shape and covered with a soft, 
leathery shell, in such situations that moist heat will furnish the 
means of hatching. The Crotalidae, represented in this list by 
the rattlesnake and copperhead, are ovo-viviparous, bringing 
forth living young, the eggs being retained in the oviduct until 
the embryos are fully developed. The lizards and turtles are 
oviparous, the lizards hiding their eggs in various protected sit- 
uations, the turtles covering their eggs up in the dirt or sand. 
The frogs and toads lay their eggs, which are enveloped in a 
jelly-like medium, in the water of ponds and ditches. The 
newly hatched young are the familiar tadpoles which pass 
throuch several stages before attaining the adult form. The 
tailed amphibians lay their eggs in water or in damp situations 
on land. The young possess external gills which disappear as 
they attain the adult form. 
During the cold months the various species hibernate in 
the mud or in protected places, to again resume their activities 
when the warm spring weather appears. 
It has been deemed advisable to give a brief description of 
each species, which may serve as a means of identification to 
those who do not have access to more extended descriptions. 
Where species are represented by state specimens in the collec- 
tion at the Roger Williams Park Museum, it has been so noted. 
In arranging this list I have used freely the following ex- 
cellent works: The Crocodilians, Lizards and Snakes of North 
America, Cope; The Reptilians and Batrachians of New York, 
DeKay; The Reptiles and Amphibians of Ohio, Smith; The 
Batrachia of North America, Cope; List of Reptiles of New 
England, Henshaw; List of Batrachia of New England, Hen- 
shaw. 
I wish to extend my thanks to Mr. C. Abbott Davis, cura- 
tor of the Roger Williams Park Museum, for courtesies extend- 
ed to me at the museum and for other assistance in the prepa- 
ration of this list. 
FREDERICK P. Drowne, M. D. 
Providence, R. I., August 14, 1905. 
