BATRACHIANS AND REPTILES OF OHIO. 1 25 



citizen of Cincinnati and a naturalist of some ability. In 1835 

 he owned a private museum in that city which, on his death, was 

 lost to science by the specimens being promiscously distributed or 

 destroyed. Nothing now is known of the museum and hence his 

 record of the species in question is based solely on Kirtland's 

 assertion. That it should occur in Ohio is not strange since 

 Robert Ridgway took it at Wheatland, Ind. Prof. J. S. Hine, 

 of the Ohio State University, believes that he has seen it at Ft. 

 Ancient, near Cincinnati. 



Eumeees quinquelineatus L. Above black, with five longitudinal 

 yellow streaks, one median and two lateral on either side. The median 

 stripe bifurcates on occiput, each branch running to rostrum. Variable with 

 respect to the color, the stripes being sometimes obsolete, while the ground 

 color becomes reddish. Tail brilliant blue. Length 11 inches. 



The Blue-tailed Skink is a beautiful little animal. When in 

 the woods one often catches a glimpse of a train of livid green, 

 resplendent in the sun shooting across his path — a glimpse only, 

 for once among the fallen leaves search for the skink is use- 

 less. They readily part with a portion of their tail to a would-be 

 captor. During the darker hours and during cloudy weather 

 they secrete themselves beneath loose bark or among fallen leaves. 



In the State the skink is common, but is never conspicuous, 

 and therefore is generally unknown to the farmer. 



Specimens in the Cin. Soc. Nat. His., collected by Dr. Lindahl in Ham- 

 ilton Co. In O. S. U. Mus., collected by Chas. W. Souder in Franklin Co.; 

 by the author at Chillicothe. 



*Eumeces anthracinus (Baird). Similar to the foregoing save that 

 there are only four stripes, the interspaces being coal black. 



Given by Cope ('oo, p. 66 1) and Jordan ('99) as having a 

 range from Pennsylvania to Missouri, and hence may be found 

 within the State's limits. No specimen, however, has been taken 

 in the State. 



Order: SERPENTES Wagler. 



Family : Colubridae. 



Carphophiops amoenus Say. Uniform chestnut above, below uniform 

 red. Head small, fusing with body without interpolation of neck. Scales 

 iridescent and glossy. Tail short. Scales 13, not keeled. Anal plate bifid. 

 Length 1 foot. 



