The Striped Snakes Garter Snakes 



Beneath the stripe on the side, is a broad band of chestnut- 

 brown, which covers the first and second rows of scales and ex- 

 tends a slight distance over the edges of the abdominal plates. 

 The abdomen is immaculate yellowish-white. 



The top of the head is dark, but the upper lip plates are 

 bright yellow. In front of the eye, which is large, is an upright 

 and narrow yellow streak or spot. 



Like all of the serpents of the genus Eutcenia, the Ribbon 

 Snake shows white, line-like spots on the skin between the scales 

 when the body is distended. However, it lacks a character 

 that is evident on the majority of these reptiles. This consists 

 of a series of square spots between the stripes, arranged in checker- 

 board fashion. 



With the exception of one species, the Ribbon Snake is quite 

 distinct from the other striped snakes, owing to its very elongate 

 form. The species with which it may be confused is Osten- 

 Sacken's Ribbon Snake (E. sackeni), another very slender reptile 

 with bright yellow stripes on the sides, but either lacking the 

 stripe of the back, or possessing only a dull streak of yellow 

 immediately behind the head. 



Dimensions. The largest specimen of this species examined 

 by the writer was taken near Fort Lee, New Jersey. It measured 

 32 inches in length; of these dimensions, the tail composed io 

 inches. Following are the measurements of an adult of average 

 size: 



Total Length 2 feet, 2 inches. 



Length of Tail 9i 



Diameter of Body f 



WidthofHead f " 



Length of Head f 



Distribution. Southeastern Canada and the United States, 

 east of the Mississippi. It is not a very abundant species, and, 

 unlike several of the reptiles of this genus, appears to retreat from 

 the steadily increasing zones of cultivation. The writer has 

 always found it in greatest numbers along the borders of streams 

 and lakes, in mountainous regions. 



Habits. Frequenting damp places, generally the grassy 

 banks of ponds and streams, this very active snake feeds upon 

 small frogs, tadpoles and salamanders. It swims and dives 

 with the ease and agility of the water snakes, and will take 



217 



