REPTILES. 121 



are very fond of earthworms. As other garter-snakes, sirtalis ap- 

 parently does not refuse dead food. ^Ir. N. A. Wood, of the Uni- 

 versity of Michigan, reported to the writer, on ^lay 18, 1907, that 

 he saw a specimen of this species swalh^wing a yeUow warbler, 

 which he had observed lying dead in the same place on the preced- 

 ing' day. In the latter part of October, 1907, the writer discovered 

 an individual at Portage Lake, Washtenaw County, Michigan, 

 bnsily engaged in an attempt to swallow the dried remains of a 

 large green frog (Ekt)ia cUnnitans). 



''The breeding habits have been commented upon several times, . 

 but are as yet only incompletely known. In southern Michigan 

 copulation takes place in April, and at this time it is reported on 

 good authority that these snakes often collect in groups, probably 

 owing to the procreative impulse. I have not witnessed this nor 

 can I find any observations on the act of copulation. The latter I 

 have seen but once, and then but imperfectly. It took place, on 

 April 21, 190C, between two specimens in captivity. The male in 

 this case lav at full length beside the female, and evidentlv at- 

 tempted to excite her by gently rubbing her neck with his snout. 

 He finally threw a fold of his tail across hers, and turning his ven- 

 tral surface against her side began spasmodic contractions of the 

 abdominal muscles, which were continued from twenty to thirty 

 minutes. Unfortunatelv the snakes were then disturbed and the 

 observations ceased. They indicate, however, that there may be 

 some interesting courtship reactions to be observed in these snakes. 



"The period of parturition extends from the latter part of July 

 to about the middle of September. Both of these dates are only 

 approximate, as definite observations are wanting. The number of 

 young is very variable, the average range in number being prob- 

 ably about 10-30, while as many as 78 have been recorded in a 

 single brood, which is not at all an unusual number, since parietalis 

 may have, according to our observations, as many as 73. After 

 birth the young remain for a short time about the mother, but 

 this time is probably limited to a few hours at most. In captivity 

 there is little tendency discernable to stay near the mother, and al- 

 though we have several times seen a mother and her brood in a 

 wild state, in every case noted, when the mother became alarmed, 

 or for some other reason moved away, the young scattered in all 

 directions, and it is improbable that they ever came together again. 

 The quickness and comi)leteness with wliicli the little snakes dis- 

 appear when alarmed may partly exi)lain the fable that this snake 

 swallows its voung. 



