SERPENTS OF NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES 363 



in his last discussion (Cope. 1900) of the forms mentioned. It 

 would seem, however, that of the species occurring within the area 

 here considered Eutaenia sir talis and Osceola doliata 

 and, to a somewhat less degree, Matrix fasciata, require care- 

 ful revision. With the scanty material at hand this is not possible 

 tit present for even the New York forms of those species, but a few 

 very general notes will be found among the specific descriptions. 



Melanism, more or less complete, has been noted briefly under 

 the two of our species which seem to be most subject to it. In 

 Heterodon platyrhinus (p. 368) the black coloration has 

 undoubtedly no systematic importance. In regard to N a t r i x 

 fasciata sipedon(p. 377), however, the case is somewhat differ- 

 ent, as it would seem probable that in New York and New England 

 specimens the darker coloration is general and not merely individual 

 in its nature. 



DISTRIBUTION 



But little is known concerning the distribution throughout the 

 state of the species here described. This lack of knowledge is par- 

 ticularly unfortunate because the reptiles, owing to their relatively 

 low degree of mobility and restricted individual range would cer- 

 tainly seem to offer a much better basis for the definition of the 

 f aunal zones of any area than the birds or mammals. Local faunal 

 lists giving details regarding the occurrence and abundance of the 

 various species in different localities are therefore much to be 

 desired. Such information on this subject as is now at hand has 

 been appended to the specific descriptions. These brief notes are 

 based on published papers by Dr Edgar A. Mearns ('98, '99), 

 R. L. Ditmars ('96) and the author (1901) ; and on a manuscript 

 list (1901) of the species found near Ithaca N. Y., which has been 

 very kindly placed at my disposal by H. D. Reed, of Cornell uni- 

 versity. A paper on the snakes of Rockland co. N. Y. (soon to be 

 published in the transactions of the Linnaean society of New York) 

 has also been placed in my hands in manuscript by its author, 

 W. Seward Wallace, for use in the present bulletin. It will be 

 noted that nearly all our information, therefore, relates to the 

 eastern and more particularly the southeastern portion of the state. 

 With the exception of Mr Reed's notes, I have only scattered 

 data on occurrences in the central and northern portions of the state, 



