REPTILES. 



91 



anteriorly the black is mottled with yellowish, which color becomes 

 more and more abundant, until the throat and chin are entirely 

 yellowish. Small, or even half-grown, individuals may have a 

 ground color of ash-graj' and numerous dark blotches." 



DOMINION OF CANADA 



I L L I N IS 



C M I c A 



^^^^m 





Fig. 32. Distribution of Elaphe obsoletus. 

 Horizontal ruling, specimens examined; vertical ruling, reports only. 



This snake is often confused with the blue racer. It mav readilv 

 be distinguished from the latter by the carinated scales and greater 

 number of scale rows and the dark markings on the ventral surface. 



Hahits and Hahitat: The writer has been unable to gather any 

 data on the habitat of the pilot snake in Michigan. The food that 

 the species is kno^Ti to take is as follows: mice (Hay, 1892a, 503), 



