smaller than seventh. Vertical plate longer than broad ; 

 one preocular and three postoculars. Body rather stout ; 

 brown with irregular reddish brown transverse bands, which 

 show more clearly on the sides ; beneath, yellowish white 

 with numerous red spots. Subject to variation, both in the 

 ground color and width of the bands. Some specimens are 

 very dark, the bands being scarcely perceptible. Length, 

 from two and a half to four feet, 



This snake may be seen in numbers along slow-running 

 streams, either sunning on the banks or stretched upon the 

 branches of bushes that overhang the water. It feeds upon 

 frogs, toads, fishes, etc. A captive female gave birth to 

 twenty-two young on August 17th, and another to twenty- 

 eight young on September 6th. In the young the ground 

 color is gray with the bands very dark brown, often black ; 

 thus making the markings much more distinct than in the 

 adult. 



Storeria Bd. and Gird. 



Head distinct. Two nasal plates; one or two preoculars; 

 no loral. Tail rather short. Scales carinated. Anal plate 

 and subcaudal scuta divided. 



Storeria dekayi {Holb.). 

 Brown Snake. 



Seven supralabials, rather uniform in size. One pre- 

 ocular and two postoculars ; nostril between the nasals. 

 Scales in seventeen rows, all carinated. Color, brown or 

 brownish gray above, with an indistinct lighter dorsal band 

 margined by small blackish spots, which sometimes run 

 together on the posterior part of the body, forming two 

 faint blackish vertebral stripes. Beneath, pinkish white. 

 Length seldom exceeds fifteen inches. 



The species is generally distributed, and is quite common 

 in rocky portions of Central Park. It is usually found 

 under flat rocks, and feeds largely upon earthworms. A 

 specimen in my collection gave birth to eighteen young on 

 July 31st, and one in the collection of Mr. G. R. O'Reilly 



