r72 AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST. 
d d abundance of rattlesnakes. There is no direct 
eviden s to comparative abundance of the smaller snakes, 
be. on and nens of the past and present. Their 
ecological position gives us some idea as to whether they are 
increasing or diminishi 
Snakes are poro disliked and most people will kill 
them whenever ps Three venomous species were no 
uncommon in the State. The copperhead was abundant in the 
southern half, the prairie rattlesnake in the northern half and 
the banded rattles nake was not uncommon in all parts. At 
the present time the latter species is practically extinct, the 
copperhead is rarely found e except in rugged, uncultivated lo- 
calities and the prairie rattler is limited to the vicinity of 
swamps and marshes 
These species have been systematically hunted down by 
man in defense of himself and his property. Other species 
that are reported venomous, as the black snake or blue racer, 
ne the hog nosed snake or spreading viper have shared their 
ate. 
The garter snakes and water snakes are much more pro- 
lifie, and being rather timid and living chiefly in rank vegeta- 
tion, not near houses, they have maintained their place in the 
fauna much better. All species have suffered destruction by 
hogs and it is doubtful whether any of the more common ser- 
pents are as numerous now as a century ago. 
Turtles also have diminished in abundance. Hogs eat 
them as well as snakes (Culbertson, '07), and probably ex- 
erted a very great influence upon the reptilian and amphibian 
fauna in the days when they were permitted the freedom of 
the woods. Ponds and marshes have been drained, creeks 
have dried as the result of deforestation, and lake shores 
which were formerly used as breeding grounds by turtles are 
now occupied by human habitations. All of these things 
have tended to diminish their number. 
Amphibians have been acted upon by the same influences 
as turtles. There is this difference, however, turtles were 
practically immune from attack by wild creatures of the for- 
est. Frogs and salamanders were eaten by snakes, waterfowl, 
opossums, raccoons and other carnivorous animals. Most of 
these species have been greatly reduced and hence the frogs 
have lost many enemies. Man is not usually an active enemy 
of these creatures, hence his influence upon them is principal- 
.. ly indirect and consists in draining swamps and reducing land 
