94 COLUBERFASCIATUS. 



in size to the sixth, and then diminishing. The nostrils are lateral, large, and 

 near the snout. The eyes are large and bright; the pupil black; the iris gray, 

 with a tinge of red. The neck is smaller than the head, and covered with carinated 

 scales. The body is long, but thick, and covered with very strongly carinated 

 scales above, which give an exceedingly rough appearance; below it is covered 

 with plates. The tail is long and thick. 



Colour. The head is dark brown, with the superior labial plates dirty reddish- 

 white, marked with darker lines that distinguish the junction of the plates. The 

 body above is very dark brown, with irregular oblong or triangular purplish-red 

 spots on the flanks, which are insensibly lost about midway between the abdomen 

 and vertebral line. These, however, are much more extensive in the young than 

 in the adult, as well as much brighter. In old animals they become nearly obsolete, 

 so that the whole superior and lateral surface becomes of a brownish colour; it 

 then requires washing to bring out the red spots; and even this may not succeed, 

 unless the animal has recently shed its skin. 



Dimensions. Length of head, IJ inches; greatest breadth of head, 11 lines; 

 length of body, 20 inches; length of tail, 8 inches; circumference of body, 5 inches. 

 In the specimen described there were one hundred and forty abdominal plates, 

 and forty-two pair of subcaudal scales. 



Habits. The Coluber fasciatus hves most of its time in water or about the 

 banks of ponds and rivers, preying on frogs and other smaller reptiles that frequent 

 the same localities. It swims with great rapidity, and hundreds at a time may be 

 seen darting through the water in all directions, constantly protruding their tongue, 

 as if to feel the objects before them. It is a bold animal, even in confinement, 

 and is one of the very few snakes that will in such a situation readily devour 

 its prey. In summer it rests on the lower branches of such trees as overhang the 

 water, as the Trigonocephalus piscivorus, and is doubtless a much better climber. 



Geographical Distribution. I would assign, for the present. North Carolina 



