Be BREEDING HABITS OF SNAKES—HAY. 
Randolph county, has eight eggsin the ovaries. Wach egg is seven-six- 
teenths of anineh in length. This species is in all probability ovovivi- 
parous. 
_ The species of Storeria are stated by Dr. Goode* to be oviparous; 
but Prof. Copet regards them as ovoviviparous, and he is quite certainly 
correct in his conclusion. One female (No. 27) of S. dekayt sent me from 
Winchester, Ind., contains thirteen eggs, five of which are in the left 
ovary, theremainder in the right. The eggs have apparently not attained 
their full ovarian size. Another specimen (U.S. Nat. Mus., No. 17966) 
of this species, taken by Dr. D. S. Jordan, at Cumberland Gap, Tenn., 
about midsummer, is a foot long, and has in it eleven eggs, the hinder- 
most three of anion are in the left oviduct. Hach egg is about three- 
eighths of anineh in length by one-quarter in short diameter. Another 
specimen (U.S. Nat. Mus., No. 17967), which was taken at Irvington, 
contains eight eggs in the oviducts, each including a very immature 
embryo an inch and a half in length. The eggs are about half an inch 
long. ‘The membranes are extremely thin. 
I tind a few notes on the breeding habits of Heterodon platirhinos, 
the hog- nosed snake, viper, or spreading adder, as it is popularly known. 
Some of these contain statements which, to me, appear exaggerated. 
Dr. J. Schneck, of Mount Carmel, Il., reportst that eighty-seven “ young 
spotted spre: ane adders” were taken from the body of a wounded fe- 
male. The author of the note did not see this done, but got his infor- 
mation from persons who did see it. I am strongly inclined to believe 
that the reptile was a Tropidonotus sipedon. Another writer§ in Penn- 
sylvania gives an account of over one hundred young snakes issuing 
from a wound in the side of a female spreading adder. These young 
were each from 6 to 8 inches in length, and all were active and blowing 
vigorously. Neither did the author of this note see the eseape of the 
snake, although he did see sixty-three of the young in aleohol. There 
may easily have been an error in the determination of the species to 
which these young snakes belonged. One who has examined the eggs 
of this species can not easily believe that so many young snakes could, 
with such readiness, escape from a wound in the mother’s side. More- 
over, these snakes deposit their eggs in the earth some time before the 
young are ready to lead an independent existence. 
Dr. Bumpus (op. cit., p. 354) states that a female Heterodon in the 
National Museum brought forth one hundred and eleven young; but 
Dr. Bumpus kindly informs me that he did not himself observe this. 
Prof. F. W. Cragin reports || the finding, on September 10, of twenty-two 
eggs of this species. They were buried in the sand at Bast Hampton, 
Long tsland. Two of the eggs, which he had in his possession, hatched 
fourdays afterwards. Troost appears to have dissected a black specimen, 
in which he found Jee se eggs. Dr. C. C. Abbott Saran that he 
IPTOC AS AG a S., 1873, p. 184. iH ee ane var. TH, ap ..o a. 
t Proe. Phil. eee Sci., 1874, p. 116. || Amer. aes Viol exRrT, putes 
fAmer, Nat., Vol. Xvi, p. 1008. 4] Rambles, ete., p. 289. 
