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The Snakes of the Lake Maxinkuckee Region.* 



Barton Warren Evermann and Howard Walton Clark. 



The total number of species of snakes known from the vicinity of 

 Lake Maxinkuckee is ten. This number is not large ; doubtless more 

 thorough field work would increase the number slightly. While the species 

 are not numerous, several of them are fairly abundant in individuals. 

 This is particularly true of the common garter snake and the water 

 snake. The former of these may be seen in suitable situations on almost 

 any warm day from early spring until late in the fall, while the latter is 

 almost equally frequent from the middle of summer to early fall about the 

 borders of Lost Lake and along the Outlet. 



Nearly all, perhaps all, of the species bear some relation to the life 

 of the lake, some of them feeding on fishes when opportunity offers, and 

 all feeding upon frogs. Only one of the species of snakes known from 

 the Lake Maxinkuckee region is poisonous ; that is the little prairie 

 rattlesnake which, fortunately, is not abundant. 



SPECIES OF SNAKES. 



1. Storeria delcayi (Holbrook). 



de kay's snake. 



This pretty little snake occurs sparingly throughout the eastern 

 United States and westward to Colorado and Wyoming. At Lake Maxin- 

 kuckee it is one of the rarest species. Our collection from about the lake 

 contains only three examples, viz., one, No. 33529, U. S. National Museum, 

 obtained October S, 1900, and two others taken on October 17, 1907, one 

 near the Outlet, the other on the east side of the lake. 



This species is known also as Brown Snake and Ground Snake, the 

 former because of the color, the latter because it is so frequently found 

 burrowed in the ground. 



It is not only a harmless little snake, but it is useful, its diet eon- 



*Published by permission of Hon. Hugh M. Smith, U. S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries. 

 22—4966 



