108 HERPETOLOGY OF MICHIGAN. 



the milk snake (Lampropeltis doliatus triangulus) . Specimens less 

 than one and one-half feet in length may be described as follows: 

 ground color dark olive, this color belonging mostly to the centers 

 of the scales, the edges being paler. A roAV of large blotches on the 

 back, extending about to the fourth row of scales, about 3 to 4 

 scales long, and separated on the median line by about the length of 

 half a scale. These spots with dark brown to black margins, the 

 centers, in some cases at least, light brownish olive. Exterior to 

 the dorsal blotches, on the first four rows of dorsal scales, numer- 

 ous small and irregular black spots. Top and sides of head, and the 

 pale ventral surface also marked with numerous small, black spots. 



Hahlts and Habitat: The blue-racer is most frequently found in 

 (]ry, open situations, general!}' near or in thickets. It also frequents 

 liedge rows, and stone walls. It is a good climber and is not in- 

 frequently found several feet from the ground in bushes and twenty 

 (►r thirty feet up in trees (Plate X). It is extremely graceful and 

 agile as are all of the members of the genus, and very frequently 

 eludes a would be captor. It will fight furiously when cornered 

 or captured, but its small teeth can do little more than puncture 

 the skin. As every herptologist knows, the blue-racer is not venom- 

 ous (as popularly supposed), but entirely harmless, so that even 

 the largest specimens ma^^ be handled with impunity. Indeed they 

 make rather interesting pets, and soon cease to resent handling. 

 The senseless slaughter of this beautiful snake is as much a dis- 

 grace to anv civilized community as is the similar destruction of 

 song birds, and an all too common occurrence in southern Michi- 

 gan. Large and conspicuous, the adults often fall prey to the 

 ignorance and superstition of people who should know better. 

 The writer recalls an instance when a farmer shoAved him with 

 great satisfaction six splendid specimens not one of them under five 

 feet, which he had killed in a brush pile, under the impression that 

 he -Avas greatly benefiting the community by ridding it of six very 

 dangerous animals. 



The food of the blue-racer consists of small mammals, birds, bird 

 eggs, other reptiles, amphibians and possibly insects. Exact records 

 of stomach examinations or direct observations of the food habits 

 are few. The principle food seems to be small mammals, and birds 

 probably occupy a second place. Surface (1906, 170) states that in 

 the Pennsylvania specimens examined by him the meadow mouse 

 [Microtiis pemisylvanicus) formed a large percent of the stomach 

 contents. He sums up the results of an examination of a 

 series of stomachs as follows: insects 25%; snakes (garter snakes, 



