26. DIADOPHIS 



Kern (Tejon Pass), Mendocino (Ukiah), Lake (Highland 

 Springs), Napa (Calistoga, Mount Veder), Solano (three 

 miles west from Vacaville), Sonoma (Healdsburg, Sonoma, 

 Petaluma, Monte Rio, Skaggs Springs), Marin (Lagunitas, 

 Manzanita, Mill Valley, Mount Tamalpais), Contra Costa 

 (Mount Diablo, Christy, Redwood Canyon), Alameda 

 (Berkeley, Oakland, East Oakland), San Mateo (Redwood 

 City), Santa Clara (Palo Alto, San Jose, Los Gatos), Santa 

 Cruz (Santa Cruz, Soquel Creek), Monterey (Carmel), 

 Santa Barbara (Los Alamos), Los Angeles (Arroyo Seco 

 Canyon, Glendora, Sierra Madre, Claremont, Santa Cata- 

 lina Island), San Bernardino (San Bernardino, Colton, On- 

 tario, Santa Ana Canyon at 6,400 feet, San Bernardino 

 Mts. at 4,000 and 5,500 feet). Riverside (Strawberry Val- 

 ley at 5,500 feet in the San Jacinto Mts., Alessandro), 

 Orange (Laguna Beach), and San Diego (San Diego, be- 

 tween Carlsbad and Oceanside, Poway, Witch Creek), 

 counties. 



In Lower California, this snake has been taken at San 

 Matios Pass near the northern end of the San Pedro Martir 

 Mountains, and on San Martin Island. 



Habits. — Diadophis amabilis is most often found under 

 boards or logs in moist localities, sometimes even in 

 salt marshes. One specimen had eaten a half-grown tree- 

 toad {Hyla regilla). Nothing is known of its breeding 

 habits. Grinnell & Grinnell say it is fairly common in the 

 canyons and hills of Los Angeles County. They found it, 

 in August, feeding on the young of Hyla, and, in spring, 

 coiled up in cavities under rocks. Regarding one captured 

 June 9, 1906, Grinnell states (1908): "When thoroughly 

 alarmed and its escape into the bush for which it headed 

 was prevented, the snake twisted its tail into a tight cork- 



