No. 436.] REPRODUCTION OF REPTILES. 



small embryos and in this connection I may state that I never 

 yet opened a snake's egg which did not contain an embryo large 

 enough to be recognized as a snake. Lizard's eggs, however, 

 not infrequently have the embryo small enough to escape notice, 

 and a large majority of all turtle eggs brought in are quite fresh. 

 The yolk of a snake's egg too is whitish in color and thicker in 

 consistency than the yellowish yolk of a lizard's egg, while the 

 white and yolk of turtle's eggs resemble those of bird's eggs very 

 closely in general appearance. These remarks, however, are 

 only meant to apply to the different species I have myself 

 examined. 



The eggs of the King Snake {Ophibolus getulus) are long, 

 oblong in shape, with a smooth tough skin and are more or less 

 adherent to one another in clusters. A lot was brought in July 

 11, 1900, some of which were put up from time to time till 

 three young snakes, 275 mm. long, were hatched from the last 

 eggs on Aug. 14, thirty-four days later. These eggs were about 

 40 to 43 mm. long by 24 to 26 wide. 



In July, 1900, a King Snake in my possession laid 17 eggs in 

 confinement ; these eggs were like the foregoing lot. hut smaller, 

 and were also adherent in clusters. One egg of this lot con- 

 tained an embryo with two heads, and two bodies, the bodies 

 separate for the anterior one third of their length. 



Another lot of 10 eggs laid in confinement in July, 1901, 

 were stuck together in two clusters, four in one lot and six in 

 the other, and measured 31 to 35 mm. in length. 



On Aug. 17, 1 90 1, a Striped Chicken Snake {Coluber quad- 

 rivittatus) from Georgia, laid 9 eggs in confinement, two lots 

 of two each were adherent, the rest free. The eggs were long 



A black Chicken Snake {Coluber obsoletus) laid a number of 



