SNAKES. 65 



preyed upon by hawks and in turn preys upon the 

 smaller mammals. These live upon the insects, which 

 gain their sustenance from the grass and grain. Thus, 

 by tracing back the food of each, we realize the force 

 of the old saying: "All flesh is grass," and know 

 that the plant must have existed before the insect, 

 reptile, bird or mammal made its appearance upon 

 earth. 



Butler's garter snake, Eutainia butleri Cope, was de- 

 scribed from a specimen taken near Richmond, Indi- 

 ana. But two additional specimens have since been 

 secured, one at Waterloo, Dekalb County, and the 



other near Turkey Lake, Kosciusko 

 r s County. It is distinguished by the 



yellow, black-bordered lateral stripe 

 covering three instead of two rows of scales, and by 

 its head being much smaller and more conical than in 

 the typical garter snakes. The eye is also propor- 

 tionally smaller than in any other of the more 

 common species. Nothing distinctive of its habits 

 is known, and additional specimens are greatly to be 

 desired. 



Group V. Green Snakes. 



Of all our reptiles not one can exceed in beauty 

 and gracefulness the "green" or "summer snake," 

 Cyclophis cestivus (L.) It possesses 17 rows of keeled 

 scales and in color is a uniform bright gree.n above 

 and light yellow beneath. With a body remarkably 

 slender for its length, which at times reaches thirty or 

 more inches, it is an object which delights the eye of 

 5 



