REVISION OF THE KING SNAKES. 



183 



bottom of tho bucket." According to the same authority this 

 snake "is a cannibal, swallowing its own kind and other small ser- 

 pents and lizards." 



Branson (1904, 401-402) says that "these snakes are ver}' gentle. 

 They no^'er bite unless very much aggravated. When they do bite 

 they do not strike like other snakes, but take the offending object 

 in their mouths and shut down on it. Their teeth are so small that 

 they can do little injury." 



Mr. Mackelden of St. Louis ^\Tites that "nearly all the milk snakes 

 I have caught were found under rocks, boards, or logs, etc., in the 

 early part of the day. I have found them in the open field and also 

 in the densest Vv^oods. The stomach contents of those I examined 

 revealed earthworms, June beetles, spiders, and smaller ii\sects. I 

 recall having caught one tliat was in the act of sv.^allo"wing a young 

 blue racer." 



This form is so closely related to triangulurn and so similar in size 

 and structure that its habits must be much the same as those of the 

 latter. 



Variation and ojfinities. — Examination of the table showing geo- 

 graphic variation in number of ventral plates, brings out plainly the 

 fact that the lo\yest numbers occur in the southern portion of the 

 range. 



Table of ventral plates in syspila. 



I.oralirv. 



Arkansas and Oklahoma 



Southern Missouri 



East central Missouri 



Southeastern Illinois and 



southern Indiana 



Iowa 



Eastern Kansas 



s'^Sens! J^-^r^™*^- i -^-«'^««^- 



o 

 21 



12 

 6 



5 



18'-] 93 188 

 180-198 11)0 

 190-213 1!)9. 



104-205 

 203-213 

 202-213 



201.1 



208. 7 

 208 



Table of scale formulae in sysjnhi. 



Formula. 



21-23-21-19 



21-19 



19-21-19 



21-19- 

 19-21-19 



19-1 



Total. 



-171 

 -17/ 



Male. 



3 



7'JiJ 

 2 



34 

 1 



47 



Female. 



2 



13 

 



40 



