76 FAMILIAR LIFE IN FIELD AND FOREST. 



cepting' the Pacific coast ; but I have not yet seen 

 one in the Wliite Mountain region ; it evidently pre- 

 fers a warmer climate. It is abundant, however, in 

 Illinois. 



Still another species of the garter snake {Eutchnia 

 sirtalis dorsalis) is common throughout the United 

 States. This species is brownish olive above, with 

 three broad green white stripes, dark spots on the 

 sides, and greenish white beneath. 



The brown, or spotted snake {Storeria dekayi). 

 Length, twelve inches ; ash or chestnut-brown 



above, with a clay-colored dorsal band, 

 dotted along the margin two scales 

 apart ; gray-white beneath ; a dark 

 patch on either side of the back of the 

 head ; seventeen dorsal rows ; food, in- 

 sects, etc. Exceedingly common in New 

 York and Massachusetts ; abundant on 

 the shores of Lake Champlain. Maine 

 to Wisconsin, Florida, and Texas. 



The red-bellied snake {Storeria oc- 

 cipitoniacidata). Length, twelve inches ; 

 pretty ; ash, chestnut, or even olive- 

 brown above, with three distinct light- 

 colored irregular spots behind the head ; 

 a beautiful reddish-salmon beneath ; fif- 



Red-bellied ' 



snake, 18 inches, teen dorsal rows ; dorsal scales keeled ; 



