The Striped Snakes Garter Snakes 



GROUP III. 



Side stripes on 

 the second and 

 third rows of 

 scales. 



GROUP II. f 



e. Body stout; neck slender; head very small. 



Side stripes on \ Black or brown; three broad, yellow stripes. 



tJie second, third] BUTLER'S GARTER SNAKE, E. butleri. 



and fourth rows I Distribution. Ohio and Indiana. 

 of scales. [_ 



'. Body stout; head moderately distinct. 



Eight plates on upper lips; three yellow stripes 

 on a darker ground-colour. 



WESTERN GARTER SNAKE, E. elegans.* 



Distribution. Central Plains to the Pacific 



Coast, 

 g. Moderately stout. Head very broad. 



Eight plates on upper lips; brown, with three 

 narrow, paler stripes; two large spots back of 

 the head. 



BROWN GARTER SNAKE, E. eques.* 



Distribution. Western Texas to Arizona; 



Mexico. 



Body stout; head moderately distinct. 

 Seven plates on upper lips ; three yellow stripes 

 on a darker ground-colour. 



COMMON GARTER SNAKE, E. sirtallS.* 



Distribution. The entire United States and 

 Mexico. 



Division B. General Pattern. Dark spots on a paler ground- 

 colour. No stripes. 

 i. Moderately stout. 



Gray or brown ; Seven rows of brown or reddish spots. 



SPOTTED GARTER SNAKE, E. multimOCUlata . 



Distribution. Southern New Mexico and northern Mexico. 

 Pale brown; six rows of small, reddish spots on the forward por* 

 tion of the body. 



RED-SPOTTED GARTER SNAKE, E. rufopUnctata. 



Distribution. But one specimen known from Arizona. 

 *Subject to considerable variation of colour. 



THE RIBBON SNAKE 

 Eutcenia saurita, (Linn.) 



The species is one of the most slender of the American ser- 

 pents. It is of moderate size. The scales are strongly keeled, 

 thus imparting a velvety aspect to the upper surface. With 

 most specimens, the tail constitutes a third or more of the total 

 length. 



Colouration. Rich, dark brown or black above, with a vivid 

 yellow stripe extending down the back, and a similar stripe on 

 each side, the latter covering the third and fourth rows of scales 

 above the abdominal plates. With brown specimens, the stripes 

 are narrowly bordered with black. The stripe on the back is 

 very sharply delineated and produces a ribbon-like aspect 

 hence the popular name. 



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