REPTILES OF THE VICINITY OF NEW YORK CITY 109 



or more young at a litter. The young are born during the latter 

 part of August and early in September. 



Range: The eastern United States from Maine to North 

 Carolina. 



Local distribution: Common near ponds, streams and salt- 

 water marshes. 



FIG. 14. WATER SNAKE 



Among the local snakes, DeKay's Snake, or Brown Snake, 

 Storeria dekayi (Fig. 15), is unique in surviving in localities 

 where the other serpents have long since been ex- Brown 

 terminated. It is comimon in many portions of the Snake, 

 large city parks, where its secretive habits, diminutive size and 

 quiet colors aid in its protection. 



In color this reptile is brown or brownish gray above, with 

 a minute series of black spots in pairs usually present down the 

 back; the space between these spots is sometimes of a lighter 

 tint than the body color, producing the appearance of an indis- 

 tinct stripe in some specimens; beneath, the color is pinkish 

 white. The scales are keeled. The average length of adult 

 specimens is twelve inches. 



