110 HERPETOLOGY OF MICHIGAN. 



lepidopterous larvae. That snakes are eaten is shown by the obser- 

 vations of Cragin (1878, 820-821), Verrill (1869, 158-159), Cones 

 (1878, 269), Ditmars (1907, 282), Surface (1906, 168), and Putnam 

 (1868, 136) ; and it is interesting to note that in the instance ob- 

 served by Yerrill it was a copper-head that was eaten, while the 

 specimen observed by Cones killed and devoured a rattle-snake. 

 This suggests that the species is, like the king-snake, immune to the 

 poison of these venomous serpents. 



Early writers supposed that this snake was a constrictor, a fact 

 denied by some later writers. The truth is about mid-way between 

 these views. In capturing small prey it simply seizes the animal in 

 the mouth as do garter snakes, or at most after seizing the prey 

 partly holds it by covering it with a portion of its body. This 

 is exactly the same as does the king snake [Lampropeltis getiilus), 

 w^hich is commonly said to be a constrictor. It is true of both 

 species that when a snake is captured the captor winds a coil or 

 two about the captive and thus secures it until swallowed. When a 

 king snake captures a large mammal (e. g., a rat) it constricts it 

 until dead, and it is possible that the blue racer does likewise. 



Range: The species has been reported from: Michigan (Sager, 

 1839, 302; Miles, 1861, 233), Ann Arbor (Smith, 1879, 7), Eaton 

 County (Clark, 1902, 193; 1903, 172, 173; Whittaker, 1905, 100- 

 102), "Oceana and Muskegon to Arenac, Saginaw and St. Clair 

 Counties and southward" (Clark,- 1905, 110), Grosse Isle (Cope, 

 1900, 795, 797; Baird and Girard, 1853, 93-94), Walnut Lake, Oak- 

 land County (Hankinson, 1908, 236), and Cass County (Thompson, 

 1911, 107). We have examined specimens from various parts of 

 Washtenaw County, from Walnut Lake, Oakland County, Alma, 

 Gratiot County, Cass County, and the photographs (PI. X) were 

 made near Hamburg, Livingston County. 



LAMPROPELTIS DOLIATUS TKIANGULUS (Boie). 



MILK SNAKE. 



Coliiher eximkis, Sager, 1839, 302. 



Opliiholus eximius, Miles, 1861, 233. 



OjMholiis triangulus, Smith, 1879, 6. 



Osceola doliata triangula, Clark, 1902, 194, and 1904, 173. 



Lampropeltis doliatus triangulus, Clark, 1905, 110. Notestein, 1905, 



118-119. Hankinson, 1908, 236. Ruthven, 1911, 115, 1911a, 



267-268. 

 Opluljolus doliatus triangulus, Thompson, 1911, 107. 

 Description: A medium sized snake, attaining a length of about 



