80 <GILPHX ON THE SERPENTS OF NOVA SCOTIA. 



Art. "VI. — On the Serpents of Nova Scotia. Bt J. Ber- 

 nard Gilpin, A. B., M. D., M. K. C. S. 



{Read April, 1875.) 



FAMILY— Colubrid^v 



Genus — Eutania. 

 Eutania sirtalis. B. & G. 

 Coluber sirtalis. Linn. 



Garter Snake. 



Genus — BascaMon. 

 Bascanion constrictor. B. & G* 

 Black Snake. 



Genus — Chlorosoma. 

 Chlorosoma vernalis. B. & G. 

 Green Snake. 



Genus — Diadolphis. 

 Diadolphis punctatus. B. & G. 

 King Snake. 



Genus — Storeria. 

 Storeria occipitomaculata. B. & G. 

 Hed-bellied Snake. 



In the class Reptilia, to which the serpents belong, we find that 

 air breathing is first introduced to life, yet this is not the great air 

 breath of the hot blooded mammals. The reptile has only a single 

 circulation, and though breathing air, can do without it. They live 

 for indefinite periods beneath water, and when in the air, respire 

 about twice in a minute. 



From the record of the past, we find nature passing through 

 the early life forms of the Silurian ages, emerging into the fish, 

 ( oxygen breathers if not of air) in the Devonian, then producing 

 reptiles whose first life forms are fish, and whose adult forms are 

 air breathers and then the subject of our present paper, the ophi- 

 dians, or serpents, who commence life as air breathers, but can do 



