The Striped Snakes Garter Snakes 



abdomen is greenish-white, with narrow black spots on the edges 

 of some of the plates. 



Dimensions. The measurements comprise an average taken 

 from a series of fifteen specimens. These were captured near 

 Sandusky, Ohio. 



Total Length 17! inches. 



Length of Tail 4 



Greatest Diameter ^ 



Width of Head ft " 



Length of Head f 



The very small head, as compared with the diameter of the 

 thickest part of the body, may be noted from the preceding 

 table of measurements. 



Distribution. Common in Ohio and Indiana. The species 

 possibly occurs in adjacent states, though the writer's records 

 are limited to the former.* 



Habits. THe habits are quite similar to those of the larger 

 (succeeding species). Captive individuals feed equally well upon 

 small frogs, toads, fishes and earthworms. They will live for 

 years in a plain box, with a glass front the cage not longer 

 than the reptiles' length and about a foot wide. 



A captive female specimen gave birth to twelve young on 

 the 4th of August. The mother was 19! inches long and the 

 young showed an average length of 5! inches; in colouration 

 they were much like young ribbon snakes as the ground-colour 

 was brown and the vivid yellow stripes were black-bordered. 



THE WESTERN GARTER SNAKE 



Euiania elegans, (Baird & Girard) 



The preceding species of Euiania described, although evinc- 

 ing some variation in the ground-colour, do not display any 

 variation of pattern. In consequence, none of these is repre- 

 sented by varieties or sub-species. The present species the 

 Western Garter Snake presents different conditions. It is 

 an extremely variable species and represented by several very 

 distinct varieties, which will be described under their respective 

 names. Among these form, pattern and distribution show 



* To Prof. E. L. Moseley, the writer is indebted for all of his speci- 

 mens about fifteen in number. 



224 



