rl36 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



of New Jersey; 1 yet a single specimen of this snake was found 

 on a high hill near Piermont N. Y., nearly 500 feet above tide 

 water. So, while recording the species in the Ophidia of the 

 county, it is probable that this specimen was a stray and far 

 northward of where it is normally found. DeKay, however, 

 thought that the species would " probably be found in this 

 State." 



There are several points within this area which I have not yet 

 visited, but the present list is quite complete and has my personal 

 identification of nearly every snake mentioned. 



Technical descriptions have been omitted, as such may be found 

 in any good herpetology. The following are the best for this 

 purpose. 



1 Brown, A. Erwin. A Review of the Genera and Species of American 



Snakes, north of Mexico. ' Acad. Nat. Sci. of Philadelphia. Proc. January 

 1901 (issued Ap. 2). 



2 Cope, E. D. Crocodilia, Lizards and Snakes of North America. U. S. 



National Museum. Report 1898; Serpentes. p. 153-1270. 



3 Eckel, E. C. & Paulmier, F. C. Catalogue of New York Reptiles and 



Batrachians. N. Y. State Museum. Bui. 51. Albany 1902. 



I THE COLUBRINE SPECIES 

 Not poisonous 



GROUND SNAKES 



Carphophis amoenus (Say) 

 Worm snake 



This snake, while generally common in the eastern states, 

 seems rare around Nyack, but one specimen having been taken 

 in 1899 at Blauveltville N. Y. 



The beautiful rich color of the back is not easily seen in the 

 localities where the little ground snake hides, and the lighter red 

 of the underside can not be seen till the snake is turned over. 

 As the gastrosteges are generally appressed to the ground, the 

 snake is almost invisible in a plowed field, or elsewhere where the 

 ground is exposed. 



1 " Pine woods, New Jersey to Ohio and southward," Jordan. 



