THE ATLANTIC SLOPE NATURALIST 



59 



bhe hair grow long ou the neck. When 

 you need to apply the insect dope, rub 

 in to stay, and do not wash it off at 

 each meal. Its efficacy is in its sta- 

 bility as well as the sweet fragrance 

 exhaled. 



The Yellow-Throated Vireo at Listowel, 



Ontario. 



By Wm. L. Kells, Listowel, Ont., Canada. 



The Yellow-throated Vireo [ I Ireoflav- 

 ifrons\ is generally found as a summer 

 resident of the high, hardwood forests of 

 Southern Ontario, and is common in the 

 vicinity of Listowel. It haunts chiefly the 

 the upper branches of ihe trees, and here 

 amid the green foliage it gleans its insect 

 fare, and sends forth upon the sunlit air 

 its peculiar flute-like notes, without which 

 its presence would hardly be suspected. 

 It occasionally pays a visit to the orchard, 

 or to the city shade-trees, but such visits 

 are short, and after a few serenades as it 

 flits from tree to tree, it returns to its 

 wild-wood retreat. 



It is towards the end of May, when the 

 earlier species of flowers are in bloom, 

 and the underwoods are filled with the 

 many-noted melodies of other wood-dwel- 

 ling members of the avifauneari race, that 

 the rambler in the remnant of our Canad- 

 ian forest, becomes aware that the woods 

 are once again tenanted by this active 

 tree-top piper. About two weeks after 

 its arrival, the work of building the nest — 

 which is an admirable specimen of bird 

 architecture — begins. In this work the 

 male renders assistance, as it is probable 

 he does also in inculcation, and in the 

 feeding of the young he takes a very act- 

 tive part. The young are hatched 

 towards the end of June, and the song of 

 the male ceases, and is heard no more 

 for the season. The nest of the species, 

 like that of all other Yireos, is in the form 

 of a small basket, and is composed of 

 various fine materials, such as strips of 

 bark, dry leaves and insect webs in the 

 ■compacting of which the builders emit a 

 glewy saliva. The nesting site is the 

 forked branch of a leafy bough, generallv 

 pretty high off the ground. The set of 



eggs is usually four; these are of a clear 

 white hue. with a few dots of a dark col- 

 our towards the larger end. Both nest 

 and eggs are larger than those of the 

 other Canadian Yireos. Early in Sep- 

 tember the Yellow-throated Vireo leaves 

 for sunny southern climes. 



The Snakes of Pennsylvania and New 

 Jersey. 



By C. Few Seiss, Philadelphia, Pa. 



This list contains the names of all the 

 species and sub-species of Snakes found 

 iu the states of Pennsylvania and New- 

 Jersey, according to authentic records. 

 The descriptions are brief, but sufficient 

 for amateurs to identify the species nam- 

 ed. 



Non-Venomous. 



Carphophis amoenus. Ground snake. 

 About one foot or less in length; body 

 quite round, glossy and opalescent; above 

 chestnut color, beneath salmon red. Is 

 found under logs and stones, rarely seen 

 abroad; mountainous districts. 



Diadophis punctatus. Ring -necked 

 snake. Length ten to fifteen inches. 

 Black above, orange beneath; a yellowish 

 white ring at the base of the head. Gen- 

 erally a series of spots on the abdomen. 

 Found under logs, stones and bark, most- 

 ly in thickly wooded sections. 



Heterodon Platyrhinus. Hog-nose 

 snake, Blowing viper. Easily recognized 

 by its turned-up snout or rostral. Color 

 dark clay to reddish brown, with dark 

 blotches. Some individuals uniform 

 black. Length two feet to thirty inches. 

 Flattens itself when disturbed and blows 

 and hisses terrifically; often feigns death. 



Liopcltis vernalis. Green snake, slen- 

 der, length seventeen to twenty inches. 

 Dark green above, yellowish beneath. 

 The dorsal scales are smooth, never keel- 

 ed. 



Cycl aphis aestivus. Summer green 



snake. A slender species with conical 

 head and small neck. Green above, yel- 

 lowish beneath; scales rough or carinat- 

 ed. Length of adult twenty-four to thir- 

 ty-three inches. Not common, found 

 only in the southern portions of Pennsyl- 

 vania and New Jersey. 



