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68" PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 891 
"These were in different stages of development. Some of the larger 
ones had absorbed all the yolk, while to others a considerable mass of 
this was attached. In a specimen (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 17962) from 
some point in northern Indiana I find sixteen eggs, eight in each oviduct. 
The young are 7sinches long, and each is provided with a well-developed 
ege-tooth. This is curved upward like a short horn, and tapers grad- 
ually to near the point, where it rounds off rapidly. The egg-mem- 
branes are thin. I have some reasons for believing that the larger 
specimens of this species will be found to produce a considerably larger 
number of young than the above observations indicate. 
Lhave met with no statements regarding the breeding habits of either 
Tropidonotus grahamii or T. leberis, except that made by Miss Hopley,* 
to the effect that a specimen of the last-mentioned species in the Zodlog- 
ical Gardens produced in August five young and at the same time some 
eggs. What the state of development of these eggs was, and what be- 
caine of them, we are not informed. [ have a female specimen (No. 26) 
taken somewhere in Indiana, and in this I find eight eggs, of which three 
are in the left oviduct. There are no signs of beginning development- 
A gravid female (U.S. Nat. Mus., No. 17970), captured on July 15, and 
sent ine by Mr. W. O. Wallace, of Wabash, Ind., is 24 inches long. 
There are eight eggs, two of which are in the left oviduct. The eggs are 
of different shapes, on account of pressure. A considerable amount of 
yolk is still present, an indication that the embryos are not yet com- 
pletely developed. A measurement of one of these shows it to be 63 
inches long. The longitudinal bands of the upper surface are suffi- 
ciently well-displayed to enable one easily to determine the species, but 
the longitudinal brown ventral bands are not seen. I find no indications 
of the presence of the egg-tooth, although it is probably present. 
Some years ago I killed a specimen of a female of 7. grahamii in Bu- 
reau county, Hil. Of the specimen the skin and a few eggs (U.S. Nat. 
Mus., No. 17954) were preserved. The time of capture was about the 
middle of July or later. The mother snake was of such a rusty color 
that the species to which she belonged could not then be determined. 
One of the eggs measures an inch and a half in the long diameter by 
three-quarters transversely. A considerable mass of yolk is present, into 
one side of which an embryo snake is sunken. This embryo is 7 inches 
long; and, although thus immature, has its scales and its colors so perfect 
that there is no difficulty in assigning it to the proper species. The 
embryo is surrounded by a very thin egg-covering. No indications of 
the presence of the egg-tooth were seen until a series of sections through 
the snout were examined, when it appeared. 
Tropidonotus kirtlandi is a rather common snake in central Indiana, 
One specimen (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 17957) taken at Irvington contains 
three eggs in @ach ovary. Hach egg is a little less than half an inch in 
length. Another specimen ee S. Nat. Mus., No. 17953) from Winchester, 
aennices: an Pree C. Hopley, p. 437. 
