4-0. THAMNOPHIS 843 



intermediate characters are found at the points where T. o. 

 couchii and T. o. elegans come in contact, as at Jackass Mea- 

 dows, 7,750 feet, Tulare County, and in the Yosemite Val- 

 ley. At other places, as at Fallen Leaf Lake, El Dorado 

 County, and at Glenbrook, Nevada, snakes of both types 

 have been taken but no intermediate specimens have been 

 secured. 



One specimen had eaten a young blackbird. Another had 

 caught a six-inch trout. 



Where conditions are favorable these snakes often attain 

 enormous size. One measures 55.5 inches, of which 12.25 

 inches represent the tail. Another has the same measure- 

 ment to anus, but the tail is 1.25 inches shorter. These 

 snakes were secured at Buena Vista Lake, where they live 

 in patches of tules out in the lake and doubtless eat fish. 

 Although they may be seen in considerable numbers sunning 

 themselves on the broken-down tules, they are hard to 

 shoot, for they are very shy and slide into the water at the 

 least alarm. Several were seen which appeared to be larger 

 than any secured by us. The largest specimens sometimes 

 show no lateral lines or other markings. Specimens of 

 similar size occur in the marshes near Los Bafios. 



190. Thamnophis ordinoides hammondii (Kennicott) 



CALIFORNIA GARTER-SNAKE 



Plate 92 



Eutainia hammondii KENNICOTT, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1860, 

 p. 332 (type localities, San Diego, Fort Tejon, Cal.); COPE, 

 U. S. Explor. Surv. W. looth Merid., Vol V, 1875, PP- 54S> 549- 



Eutania Couchii, COOPER, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., Vol. IV, 1870, p. 68. 



Eutcenia hammondii YARROW & HENSHAW, Ann. Rep. Chief of Engineers 

 for 1878, Surv. W. looth Merid., Appendix NN, 1878, p. 215 (part); 

 BROWN, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1903, p. 295. 



Euttftiia marciana YARROW & HENSHAW, Ann. Rep. Chief of Engineers 

 for 1878, Surv. W. looth Merid., Appendix NN, 1878, p. 216. 



