ord is the last week in May and the latest October 14. <A large example 
seen east of Lost Lake on the latter date was quite stupid and declined to 
move. A 4-foot individual seen in Walley’s woods was evidently blind, due 
to shedding its skin which was so loose that it slipped off when the snake 
was handled. The eyes were white, and the snake instead of seeing, appar- 
ently listened. Another was seen in Walley’s woods September 21, 1900. 
On August 13, 1906, a very large one was seen half-concealed in the briars 
near the ice-houses. When approached it made its tail rattle among the 
dry leaves precisely like a rattlesnake. On August 14. 1906, a large one 
was caught near Bass Lake. Another, 5 to G feet iong, was seep in Walley’s 
cornfield September 20, 1907. It was coiled loosely at the base of a corn- 
stalk and seemed disinclined to move, though it stuck out its tongue 
repeatedly. 
This snake is usually lustrous blue-black or pitch-black above and 
greenish below; chin and throat white. Young olive, with rhomboid black 
blotches. Body very slender; eye large, scales in 17 or 19 rows; ventral 
plates 170 to 190. Length 4 to 5 feet. 
8. Lampropeltis doliatus (Linnzeus). 
HOUSE SNAKE. 
This is the common house shake or milk shake so abundant in most of 
the upper Mississippi Vaiiey States. It does not appear to be very com- 
nion, however, about Maxinkuckee. The only example seen by us was 
obtained July 28, 1899, at our station near the Arlington Hotel. It is one 
of the mildest and most useful of snakes and feeds largely upon the various 
species of small noxious mammals. Its habits, however, are not entirely 
beneficial, as it will, on occasion, eat such hens’ eggs and birds’ eggs as it 
may find. 
We have hever seen it Swimming in the water and do not know wheth- 
er it ever feeds on fishes or other aquatic animals. 
Color, grayish, with 3 series of brown, rounded blotches bordered with 
black, about 50 in the dorsal row; an arrow-shaped occiptal spot; belly 
yellowish-white, with square black blotches; dorsal scales in 21 rows. In 
the young the dorsal blotches are bright chestnut-red inside of the black 
margins, and the spaces between are sometimes white or clear ash. 
