TEXAN HERPETOLOGY 



mens in my collction were obtained between Burnet and Mormon Mills. 



Tantilla gracilis Baird and Girard. Graceful Tantilla. 



Three adult specimens were found under logs near the White Eagle Mine. 



Zamenis flagellum Shaw. Coach-whip Snake. 



Abundant, attaining a large size. Specimens were collected or observed in 

 every locality visited. Most of these were gorged with locusts. 



Zamenis contrictor flaviventris Say. Yellow-bellied Racer. 



This racer must be rare, as the poorly preserved specimen in one of the local 

 collections before mentioned, is the only one I have seen. 



Zamenis taeniatus Hallowell. Mountain Racer. 



Two fine examples from Clear Creek and Morgan Canyon. These speci- 

 mens are dark, lustrous greenish-olive above, the lateral stripes are white and 

 the lower surfaces excepting on the troat and tail, are closely and minutely 

 blotched with greenish slate. The tail is pink below, the throat white. In 

 the living specimen, the under parts are more or less suffused with red, which 

 soon fades out in the preserving fluid. The color on the under surface of the 

 tail is more lasting and is retained by one of my specimens which has now 

 been in spirits for over eighteen months. The two specimens measure 1600 

 and 1650 mm. respectively. 



The natives know this snake as the black or mountain racer in contra-dis- 

 tinction to the prairie racer as the coach-whip is commonly called. It is very 

 difficult to capture as it readily climbs rocks and trees and is so rapid in its 

 movements that it is almost impossible for one person to follow it close enough 

 to be able to grasp it by hand. 



Coluber emoryi Baird and Girard. Emory's Pilot Snake. 



I have one half-grown example from Burnet. 



Piiyophis catenifer sayi Schlegel. Bull Snake. 



I secured only one example of this widely distributed species. It was cap- 

 tured in a vacant frame building which it had probably entered in quest of 

 rats and mice. 



Lampropeltis getula holbrookii Stejneger. Speckled King Snake. 



One half-grown specimen from near Burnet. 

 Rhinochilus lecontei Baird and Girard. Le Conte's Snake. 



Two specimens. Clear Creek and Morgan Canyon. 

 Tropidonotus fasciatus transversus Hallowell. Hallowell's Water Snake. 



A large number of specimens of this water snake were obtained at several 

 points along the Colorado River. Small examples were common in Peter's, 

 Delaware, and Spring Creeks. The large specimens were shot while attempt- 

 ing to rob our fish-boxes. 

 Tropidonotus rhombifer Hallowell. Diamond Water Snake. 



This species is less abundant than transversus and only four specimens were 

 collected. Hamilton, Delaware and Morgan Creeks. 



