384 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



series of small indistinct spots on each side ; below, greenish white ; 

 black blotches on gastrosteges near outer margins. 



Common everywhere throughout the state, though possibly many 

 specimens identified as belonging to this subspecies may have 

 heen really one of the three following. 



20d Eutaenia sirtalis obscura (Cope) 



Dusky garter snake 

 Jordan. Thamnopliis sirtalis obscuriis 

 A yello\vish dorsal band, with lateral bands less distinct ; ground 

 ■color, exposed between these bands, is uniformly brownisli, caused 

 by th^ complete fusion of the spots shown on other. subspecies; 

 below, grayish green, with black spots near ends of gastrosteges. 

 Specimens noted by Cope (1900) from "Westport, Essex co. 



20e Eutaenia sirtalis dorsalis B. & G. 



Med garter snake 

 Jordan. Thamnophis sirtalis dorsalis 

 Ground color brownish ; lateral stripes olivaceous ; dorsal stripe 

 "bright red ; lateral spots separated by red interspaces. 



From descriptions given in many of the f aunal lists published for 

 the region under consideration, I am led to believe that many speci- 

 mens from New England and northern New York are to be classed 

 with the "dorsalis" group, and I have therefore inserted a 

 description of its typical subspecies. 



20f Eutaenia sirtalis palHdula (Allen) 

 General color above, olive to olive brown ; dorsal stripe, except at 

 its inception, almost obsolete ; the interlinear sp,ots of reddish scales 

 with narrow black edgings and black interspaces. Belfy, in young 

 specimens grayish white, in adults from grayish white to light 

 yellowish. 



The above description is quoted from Allen ('99) where the sub- 

 species is first described, a paper to which readers are referred for a 

 more detailed description. In this paper Mr Allen gives its distribu- 

 iion as " from the "White mountains of New Hampshire and the 

 Adirondacks of New York, northward into New Brunswick and 

 Nova Scotia, and possibly farther ; " while in a later communication 

 to the author he instances a specimen of this subspecies caught at 

 'Chateaugay, Franklin eo. N. Y. 



