338 



sisting chiefly of crickets, grasshoppers, and other noxious insects. It is 

 also fond of earthworms and slugs. 



It reaches a length of only a foot or less. Its color is a grayish 

 brown, with a lighter band or line along the back, on each side of which 

 is a dotted line: there is also a dark patch on each side of the occiput, 

 and the under parts are grayish". Scales in 17 rows ; ventral plates 120-13S. 



2. TliamnopMs proximo, (Say). 



EIBBOX SXAKE. 



This species is found from Wisconsin to Mexico. At Maxinkuckee it is 

 one of the rarer snakes. The only example (Xo. 02779. or 33545, U. S. 

 Nat. Mus. i in our collection was secured September 21. 1900, near Lost 

 Lake, southwest of Mr. Green's house. Another was seen nine days later 

 south of the lake. 



It is a very slender, graceful snake. It is probably not rare in the 

 weedly patches west of Culver, particularly about old, drained lake-beds 

 where the ground is still wet and where there are occasional pools. In 

 the spring of 1901, four were seen, two on April 9 at the drained lake 

 west of Culver, one April 30 at Culver Creek, and one May 20 in Hawk's 

 marsh. 



In habits this species does not differ greatly from other garter snakes. 

 It delights in marshy situations and is not averse to an occasional short 

 stay in the water. Its food consists chiefly of small frogs, toads and 

 insects, with an occasional small fish. 



This snake may be known by the following characters : 



Lateral stripe on third and fourth rows of scales ; scales in 19 rows, 

 little or not at all spotted; color chocolate brown, with three yellow stripes ; 

 light brown below lateral stripes ; ventral plates 150 to 160 : tail about one- 

 third the total length which rarely exceeds thirty-six inches. 



3. Thamnophis sirtalis (Linnaeus). 



COMMON GAETER SXAKE. 



This is one of the most variable as well as one of the most widely 

 distributed of all snakes. It or its subspecies may be found in nearly all 

 parts of the United States, and it is by far the most abundant snake about 

 Lake Maxinkuckee: it is probably more numerous than all other species 

 combined. 



It may be found in all sorts of situations: in cultivated fields and 



