92 HERPETOLOGY OF MICHIGAN. 



cotton-tail rabbit (Ditmars, 1907, 305). undetermined insect frag- 

 ments, undetermined larvae, insects, with bird remains, undeter- 

 mined species of Ortlioptera, Acridiidae (grasshoppers), wood frog, 

 undetermined birds, undetermined eggs, chicken eggs, robin eggs, 

 red-winged blackbird, sparrow, robin, undetermined mammals, com- 

 mon opposum, undetermined mice, meadow mouse {M. "pennsylvani- 

 ciis), Microtus sp, (uncertain species), house mouse, undetermined 

 squirrels, red squirrels, chipmunk, undetermined shrew, and 

 weasels (Surface, 1906, 160). In the specimen taken at Ann Arbor 

 by Winchell (see infra) the writer finds the remains of an adult 

 sparrow. 



The pilot snake is oviparous. Hay (1892, 395) records a pair that 

 were taken in coitu on June 19, and Surface (1906, 159) states that 

 the eggs are laid during the latter part of August or early part of 

 September. Ditmars (1907, 306) writes that a specimen deposited 

 ten eggs on June 26. Surface also states that the eggs are laid 

 in loose earth or damp sawdust; Stejneger (1892, 396) has recorded 

 a batch found in a hollow stump, and Hay (1892, 396) found a 

 number in a pile of stable manure. The last named writer de- 

 scribes the eggs and young as follows : 'When found the eggs were 

 glued together in one mass. Each e.gg is 2 inches long and nearly 

 an inch and a quarter in the short diameter. On the outside is 

 found a thick, leathery, yellow covering, beneath which is a much 

 thinner coat. From one of these eggs I have taken a 3'oung snake 

 which measures ten and three-quarters inches in length. Attached 

 to this embryo is a considerable mass of yolk, a condition which 

 indicates that the embryo is not ready for hatching. Nevertheless, 

 all the generic and specific characters are well shown. There is a 

 well developed egg tooth. The intromittent organs are everted in 

 the specimens examined." 



Range: The status of this snake in the state is little known. It 

 has been reported from Michigan (Sager, 1839, 301, Smith, 1879, 6), 

 Eaton County (Clark, 1902, 193, 1903, 172), Olivet, Ann Arbor, 

 and Kalamazoo, Van Buren and Montcalm Counties (Clark, 1905, 

 110). The writer has only seen four specimens that were taken 

 within our limits, one from Alma, Gratiot County, one from Eaton 

 County, one at Ann Arbor, by Alexander Winchell, and one from 

 I^nawee County, by W. J. Beal. Both of the latter specimens are 

 without dates, but they have been in the University of Michigan 

 Museum collection for many years. 



