The Striped Snakes Garter Snakes 



body and the upper lip plates (superior labials) are greenish, 

 margined with black. 



The abdomen is greenish-yellow, the edges of the plates 

 narrowly spotted with black. 



Dimensions. The measurements are of a specimen captured 

 on Duck Creek, a tributary of the Gila River, by the late Prof. 

 E. D. Cope: 



Total Length 24 inches. 



Length of Tail 6\ 



Greatest Diameter " 



WidthofHead * " 



Length of Head f 



Distributions. Arizona, New Mexico and the states of Sonora 

 and Chihuahua, Mexico. In Mexico the species is very abundant.* 



Habits. Like many of the Western garter snakes, this 

 species seems to be semi-aquatic in habits, generally frequenting 

 the borders of streams and taking to the water when alarmed. 



THE PLAINS GARTER SNAKE 



Eutania radix, (Baird & Girard) 



This very abundant snake of the plains region is stout in 

 form, with broad and distinct head. 



Colouration. Dark brown, olive or black above, with three 

 very distinct, yellow stripes those of the sides on the third and 

 fourth rows of scales. The stripe on the back is rich yellow; 

 the side stripes are usually of a considerably paler hue. Except 

 with very dark specimens, there are two distinct rows of square 

 black spots between the stripes. 



The abdomen is greenish, with black spots on the edges of 

 the plates. The upper lip plates are yellow, heavily margined 

 with black. 



Although this species resembles the common garter snake 

 (E. sirtalis) in stoutness of body, it may be at once recognised 

 from the latter species by the presence of the lateral (side) stripe 

 on the third and fourth rows of scales this stripe with sirtalis 

 being on the second and third rows of scales. 



* A closely allied species, Rutcenia macrostemma, Kenn., inhabits 

 Mexico generally, but does not seem to occur in the United States. 



322 



