102 HERPETOLOGY OF MICHIGAN. 



Habits and Habitat: This snake is apparently very rare in Michi- 

 gan. We have seen but two specimens, as stated below. These 

 were both taken in a large tamarack swamp. It is said (Cope, 



1900, 997; Ditmars, 1907, 262) to frequent damp woods and to be 

 found generally under logs; also that when near it it will take 

 to the water and dive to the bottom like a true water snake. It is 

 reported to feed largely on small frogs and toads, and that captive 

 specimens will eat fish (Ditmars, 1907, 262) and slugs (Atkinson, 



1901, 150). The young are born alive. 



Range: The species has been reported from: Ann Arbor (Smith, 

 1879, 6), Kalamazoo (Cope, 1900, 997) Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo 

 (Clark, 1905, 109). 



The two specimens of this snake described above were taken near 

 Ann Arbor. They are the only ones the writer has seen. 



LIOPELTIS VERNALIS (DeKay). 



GRASS SNAKE. 



Coluber vernalis, Sager, 1839, 302. 



Liopeltis vernalis, Smith, 1879, 7. Clark, 1902, 193; 1905, 110. 

 Notestein, 1905, 118. Cope, 1900, 782-784. Kuthven, 1911, 

 115; 1911a, 267. 

 Chlorosoma vernalis, Miles, 1861, 233. 



Description: A slender and rather small snake, attaining a 

 length of one and one-half feet. Bod}^ about same diameter through- 

 out, i. e., not tapering strongly toward the extremities, but the head 

 well marked off. Cephalic plates normal in arrangement, rostral 

 normal in form. Sides of head high, but muzzle short which tends 

 to crowd out the x)lates in front of the eye. Nasals fused. Loreal 

 when present of normal height but nearly as often absent as pres- 

 ent; -when absent it is fused with nasal. Nostril lateral. 



Dorsal scale rows 15 throughout the entire length of the body, 

 scales smooth. Supralabials usually 7, occasionally 8; infralabials 

 usually 8, frequently 7, and rarely 9. Oculars usually 2-2, occasion- 

 ally 1-2, rarely 1-3 or 2-3. Yentrals 123-134; subcaudals 71-84 

 (Baird and Girard cite an example with 94). Anal plate divided. 



Uniformly bright green above and yellowish white beneath. 



Habits and Habitat: The grass snake is an exceedingly beautiful, 

 agile, and harmless little snake that in Michigan is usualh' found 

 in dry open clearings. It is generally on the ground but may 

 climb small shrubs. The following definite observations on the food 

 habits have appeared in the literature : snails, spidei^, insect frag- 

 ments, larvae, unidentified orthoptera, crickets, grasshoppers, un- 



