OUR ANCIENT ENEMY THE OPHIDIAN. 71 



garden, much against my will, but in deference to a 

 person who had a mortal antipathy to snakes. The 

 poor creature was absolutely harmless, and 

 never showed fight under the heavy blows 

 of a club. This was the first, and it will 

 be the last, harmless snake I shall accom- 

 modatingly kill for another— -transeat in 

 exemplumf The milk snake is com- 

 mon from Maine to Virginia and 

 westward to Iowa and Wisconsin. 



The ring-necked snake {Diadophis 

 punctatus). Length, fifteen inches ; a 

 beauty, and dressed tastefully ; violet- 

 black above, orange beneath, edged by 

 black spots ; yellow-white ring or collar 

 around the neck ; fifteen dorsal rows ; 

 food, beetles, slugs, and grasshoppers; 

 found beneath fallen logs and stones. 

 Common in the mountains of Penn- 

 sylvania and Virginia, Maine to Wis- 

 consin, and the Southern States. 



The green or grass snake {LiopelUs 

 vernal/is y Cyclophis vernalis of other 

 authors). Length, eighteen inches ; beau- snake, 



y o f S> ' ISinclies. 



tif ul ; bright green above, yellowish be- 

 neath ; fifteen dorsal rows ; small head ; very smooth 

 food, insects, grubs, etc. Very common, and 



