Reptiles of Massachusetts. 23 
beautiful species when alive, changes to a dull green- 
ish yellow after being immersed in spirits; in this 
state, it appears to have been described by Herpe- 
tologists. When the scaly cuticle is removed, the 
dorsal line beneath is found to be white ; and the 
sides of the back are of a deep blue color, with two 
rows of black, nearly circular blotches. Sometimes 
the line on the back is a greenish white, while the 
lateral bands are yellow. Upon the occipital plates — 
of one of my specimens are two small yellow spots 
towards their middle at their interior edges. ‘The 
brightness of the lateral lines disappears at the anus ; 
beyond, the color is greenish, and this is gradually 
lost towards the tail. 
Linnsus describes his species as having 150 ab- 
dominal plates, and 114 caudal scales ; Shaw copies 
this in his “General Zoology.” Harlan makes 150. 
plates, and 60 caudal scales. One specimen before 
me, has 154 plates, and 75 scales; a second speci- 
men has 146 plates, and 63 scales. 
This species feeds upon frogs and toads, and is 
frequently found enormously distended by having 
swallowed one of a very large size. 
C. ordinatus. Lin. The little brown Snake. 
Shaw's Gen. Zoology, vol. iii. pt. 2. p. 497. 
Harlan's Med. and Phys. Res. p. 113. 
This is also quite a common species with us, 
growing to the length of two feet. The color above, 
is a browish ash, with a broad, lighter ash-colored 
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