COLUBEID^. — LXXV. 177 



Gaeteb Snake. Brown with three yellow stripes; 

 light, clear brown, below the lateral stripes; tail usually 

 more than -J of length; colors bright; G. 150 to 160; L. 

 36. U. S., chiefly E. of the Alleghanies. 



2. E. faireyi, B. & G. Faieie's Gaetee Snake. 

 Blackish, with three greenish yellow stripes; body rela- 

 tively stout; tail less than -J- length; space below bands 

 same color as above; G. 165 to 180; L. 30. Miss. 

 Valley, N. to Wis. 



3. E. proxima, (Say) B. & G. Say's Gaetee Snake. 

 Blackish, dorsal stripe brownish yellow; lateral stripes 

 greenish; tail | of total length; sides colored like back; 

 G. 165 to 175; L. 35. Miss. Valley, N. to Wis. 



** Body stouter; tail shorter, about i of total length; scales 19. 



4. E. radix, Baird & Girard. Hoy's Gaetee Snake. 

 Black with three narrow yellow lines; scales very rough, 

 the outer row broad; colors deep; head short; G. 150 to 

 160; L. 35. L. Michigan to Oregon. 



5. E. sirtalis, (L.) B. & G. Common Gaetee Snake. 

 Steiped Snake. Olivaceous, dorsal stripe narrow; lat- 

 eral stripes rather broad but not conspicuous ; colors 

 generally duller than in the other species, lateral rows 

 of spots more or less distinct; G. 130 to 160. N. Am., 

 every where ; our commonest snake ; very variable. 

 Prominent varieties are: 



Var. ordinata, (L.) Cope, has the stripes duller and 

 the spots more distinct, 85 in number. Chiefly north- 

 eastward. 



Var. dorsalis, (B. & G.) Cope, has the dorsal stripe 

 broad, and a row of distinct spots above the lateral stripe. 

 N. Am., every where. 



Var. parietalis, (Say ) Cope, has the stripes dull 



