CHAPTER XXVI: THE STRIPED SNAKES-GAR- 

 TER SNAKES 



GENUS EUTVCNIA 



A Genus of North American Snakes that are Noted for ibeir Abundance 

 and the Great Variation of Pattern Among Some of the Species 

 Key to the Identification of Species Detailed Descriptions 

 Keys to the Identification of Varieties Habits 



THE species of this genus are characteristic from their pat- 

 tern usually three narrow yellow stripes upon a darker ground- 

 colour. One of the stripes is upon the back; the others are on 

 the lower portions of the sides. 



The Striped Snakes are the most abundant of North American 

 serpents. They frequent every portion of the continent in 

 which snakes are found and extend as far southward as Central 

 America. From a structural standpoint, they are closely related 

 to the water snakes (Tropidonotus) a relationship also demon- 

 strated by the semi-aquatic habits of some of the species. All 

 of the species produce living young and generally to a large num- 

 ber, which condition explains the general abundance of these 

 reptiles. 



As the Striped Snakes feed entirely upon cold-blooded prey 

 frogs, toads, fishes and worms, they cannot be classed as useful 

 to the agriculturist. However, all of the species are quite harm- 

 less and inoffensive. 



It is with real misgiving that the writer begins this chapter, 

 for no genus of North American serpents is so difficult to describe 

 as the present one and particularly, to treat in a popular 

 manner. Among several of the species the variations in pat- 

 tern are so elaborate, that to describe the different species on the 

 basis of colouration alone would be to bring about a meaningless 

 repetition of exhaustive details. The commoner species vary 

 to a bewildering degree, and in such a fashion that the beginner 

 might be led to mistake a pronounced variety of one species for 

 the typical form of another. 



As reptiles generally have suffered from the tendency to create 



213 



