98 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



impossible it makes a bold fight, striking and biting vigorously. At 

 the same time it emits a disagreeable odor from the anal glands. 



It feeds on fishes, of which it is particularly fond, frogs, tadpoles 

 and salamanders. This species is viviparous and bears according to 

 Ditmars 1 as many as forty-four young. The average number of young 

 is about twenty-five. 



The Water Snake, which is one of the large snakes, reaching the 

 length of four feet, ranges over the most of the United States east of 

 the Rocky Mountains. Three subspecies of this snake may be recog- 

 nized by their color patterns. 



a. Body crossed dorsally by dark bands throughout its length; ventrals 



spotted T. s. fascialus. 



aa. Body crossed dorsally by dark bands in the anterior half only; bands 

 giving place to spots in the posterior half; ventrals spotted. T. s. sipedon. 

 aaa. Body marked dorsally with spots only; ventrals without spots. 



T. s. transversus. 

 Colorado specimens. — University Museum: Boulder, 1909 (220 mm.), 

 S. Searcy, No. 67 ; Colorado State Historical and Natural History Museum: Denver, 

 June 27, 1890 (265 mm.), H. G. Smith; Wray, September 18, 1903 (385 mm.), 

 W. C. Ferril; Wray, May 20, 1904 (2 specimens, 650 and 750 mm.), H. G. Smith; 

 Wray, June 15, 1906 (2 specimens, 450 and 1200mm.), H. G. Smith; Slate 

 Teachers' College Museum: Greeley, Baca, Las Animas and Weld counties, A. E. 

 Beardsley. 



Genus STORERIA Baird and Girard 

 Sloreria Baird and Girard, Serpents of North America, p. 135, 1853. 

 Anal plate divided; scales heavily keeled, in 15 or 17 rows; loreal 



plate absent; small snakes; genus restricted to North America. 

 The genus Storeria is represented in Colorado by the species 



Storeria dekayi (Holbrook). 



Storeria dekayi (Holbrook) 



DeKay's Snake 

 Tropidonotus dekayi Holbrook, N. Am. Herpt., Vol. Ill, p. 53, 1842. 

 Dorsal scales keeled heavily, in 17 rows; superior labials, 7; 

 nasals, 2, with nostril between; ventrals, 120 to 150; caudals, 40 to 



1 Dituars, Reptile Book, p. 353, 1907. 



