University of the State of New York 



New York State Museum 



Frederick J. H. Merrill Director 

 Bulletin 51 April 1902 



CATALOGUE OF 



NEW YORK REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS 



PKEFACE 



Since the publication, by James E. De Kay, 1 of his report on the 

 zoology of New York in 1842, and by Spencer F. Baird, 2 of the 

 report on the serpents of New York state, great changes have been 

 made in the nomenclature and classification of the reptiles and batra- 

 chians, and a number of new species and subspecies have been 

 added to our fauna. The works named are, moreover, practically 

 unobtainable, and no popular discussion of the subject is at present 

 in print. The groups here treated are, in consequence, much less 

 familiar to the general student than are the birds and mammals. 



In view of these facts, it seemed desirable for the New York state 

 museum, in pursuance of its definite policy of placing at the disposal 

 of the citizens of this state trustworthy guides to the various biologic 

 groups, to issue a catalogue of the New York species of reptiles and 

 batrachians as at present known, accompanied by descriptions suffi- 

 cient to make it possible for nonspecialists to identify these species. 

 At the request of the director, this work was undertaken by the 

 authors of the two papers published in the present bulletin. 



Information regarding the occurrence and distribution of the 

 various species is much to be desired ; and local faunal lists would 

 be of much value in this connection, while specimens sent to the 

 state museum will be identified. Frederick J. H. Merrill 



1 De Kay, James E. Zool. N. Y. v. 3, pt 3, 1842. 



2 Baird, Spencer F. Serpents of New York. N. Y. state cab. nat. hist. 7th 

 an. rep't. 1854 



