376 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Hough, ('52, p. 23) in describing his collection made for the state 

 museum in St Lawrence county, notes that this species is " of com- 

 mon occurrence in this section of the state.'' The specimens then 

 sent in have disappeared, so that the record can not be verified ; but, 

 as I have stated, (1901) Gebhard, then curator, w^as competent to 

 make the specific determination and would hardly have allowed 

 an obvious error to be published. The species can not well be con- 

 fused with any other New Tork form, and Hough's record can not 



Fig. 12 Ophibolus getulus getulus 



be neglected or suppressed ; but, if true, the distribution thus given 

 the chain snake is remarkable. Further data on this point would be 

 of great service, and I would consider it a favor if some St Lawrence 

 county naturalist would investigate the matter. 



12 Natrix fasciata (Linn.) 

 Jordan. Natrix sipedon 

 Scales all cariiiated, in 23 or 25 rows. General form robust ; 

 tail not long. General color above bright reddish brown to gray, 

 usually marked by large, dark brown, transverse spots ; below yel- 

 lowish or reddish, usually with more or less rounded spots of chest- 

 nut or reddish brown. Length 30-50 inches. 



Of the " subspecies " listed by Cope, only one (N . f . sipedon) 

 is definitely known to occur within our limits. Both W. H. Smith 



