1894. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



331 



row of gular spots; no postocular bauds." This one resembles some- 

 what the specimen from Key West, which is an intermediate form, but 

 is darker than either. 



NATRIX FA.SCIATA (Linn.'ens). 



This snake is very variable in several respects. The typical speci- 

 mens of Xatrix fasciata have the back with dark, nearly black, cross- 

 bands, or broad transverse spots on a lighter ground, usually brown or 

 reddish brown; the black transverse spots are mostly bordered (at 

 least on the sides) with narrow, yellowisli stripes; the belly in difterent 

 ways spotted or crossbanded with black. This is the commonest form 

 in south Florida. Next to this type comes another, in which the ground 

 coloi' is more grayish brown or dull-brown, with narrow transverse 

 (yellowishj lighter bands, which are surrounded or margined with 

 broader blackish borders. Sometimes these bands are less distinct. 

 Of this form 1 obtained several specimens from Orange and Osceola 

 counties. A single specimen from Lake John, Orange County, had 

 the back uniform brown (about chestnut color), but when the old skin 

 was removed it was seen that only the back was marbled with black, 

 which did not extend toward the sides, there being on the flanks a 

 single row of large red spots. Belly spotted with red, denser on 

 the posterior part and the underside of the tail. Oidy a small black 

 spot on each side indicates the postocular band. 



Another variety, still more distinct, is the one 1 found in F«.'bruary, 

 1893, at St. John's Kiver, not far from Lake Jessup; if more specimens 

 of the same kind should be found it may be regarded as a subspecies, 

 for which I would propose the name Xatrix fasciata atra. It may be 

 described as follows: Head rather large and Ijroad; body stout, 

 with very strongly keeled scales in 23 longitudinal rows. Preocular, 

 one; postoculars. two. Supra-labials, on one side, eight; on the 

 other, nine. Above, uniform black; only a few scales on the j)OS- 

 terior portion, with yellow centers; underneath, yellowish white, with 

 the anterior part of each gastrostege black, thus forming narrow cross- 

 bands. The habitus is so different from Xatrix fasciata that it struck 

 me at once, and when first seen it reminded me strongly of a moccasin. 

 It did not attempt to escape, but coiled up ready ta strike. I was not 

 quite sure about its non-poisonous nature until I had caught it and 

 opened the mouth. It was 78 cm. long, of which the tail measured 

 22 cm. 



The various forms of Xatrix fasciata are often called "water mocca- 

 sins" and regarded as poisonous and dangerous snakes. Although 

 they are harmless they are " unpleasant and ill-temijered," as Jordan 

 says.* In some lowland swamps in south Florida they are extremely 

 abundant. At Arcadia, De Soto County, for instance, I once saw half 

 a dozen in less than a minute. They used to stay at the borders of 



* Jordan, D. S., Manual of the Vertebrate Animals of the Northern United States. 



5 ed., Chicago. 1888. p. 194. 



