746 The American Naturalist. [September, 
adjoining States it may be found all over the State, but in small 
numbers. Mr. Garman gives the locality of the species as from 
“Massachusetts to Nebraska.” The small number we have 
examined has not enabled us to determine the food of the 
species. 
9. COLUBER OBSOLETUS OBSOLETUS Say. 
This snake is, perhaps, our most noted and skillful climber, 
often being found on the limbs of the larger trees with head 
raised as if viewing the surrounding country. It is said to be 
due to this fact that it is called the pilot snake. It is one of 
our most docile serpents, and students have, by tying a string 
around its neck and thus retaining their captive for further 
observation, watched it climb the trees on the Normal School 
campus. This it accomplishes not wholly by winding around 
the tree, but by curving its body in various directions in order 
to support its graceful form on the rough projections of the 
bark. The cause of this wonderful success in climbing may 
be surmised when we are told that birds constitute its choice 
food. One large specimen contained in its stomach two fledg- 
lings of the downy woodpecker, (D. pubescens) large enough 
to fly, which the peculiar nesting habits of the mother bird 
had enabled the serpent to capture. However, mice and other 
rodents are frequently captured. 
We have examined adult specimens from Nemaha county 
where the species is by no means rare, and the young from 
Nemaha and Lancaster counties. Dr. Yarrow mentions one 
specimen from “ Western Missouri” which term at the time of 
making the collection, 1853 (?), probably was applied to what 
` is now the State of Nebraska. 
10. PITYOPHIS SAYI sayi Schl. 
This snake, the common western bull snake, is one of our 
commonest serpents and the largest species found within the 
State possibly excepting the ©. obsoletus. They are found 
throughout the State ; are comparatively docile unless attacked, 
when, although non-venomous, their great strength and 
