rl40 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



sibly explained by the migration of a single specimen, or of a 

 pair of specimens, beyond the northern limit of their habitat, 

 southern New Jersey. A series of such migrations, extending 

 through a period of time, would, of course, tend to establish the 

 southern parts of Rockland county as the northern limit of dis- 

 tribution of the pine snake. It would however seem best to wait 

 till further evidence can be secured before placing the pine snake 

 permanently in the state fauna. 



These remarks apply also to the bush snake, Cyclophis 

 aestivus, for though occasionally seen in Rockland county, this 

 snake's habitat heretofore only reached southern Xew Jersey. 



KI\G SNAKES 



Ophibolus 



The snakes of this genus are all well known for their bright 

 markings, their bravery and their swiftness. They are all large 

 and heavy, and each member of the genus is nicknamed. Thus 

 the " king snake" (the western form) is an "enemy of the 

 rattlesnake." 



I have been repeatedly informed by residents of Xyack that 

 the king snake is troublesome to the farmers in the county, but 

 they must have reference to the milk snake, or the corn snake, 

 as king snakes do not occur as far north as Xew York. The corn 

 snake, however, has never been identified in Rockland county, 

 though it undoubtedly belongs in the state fauna. 



Ophibolus doliatus trianguius (Boie) 

 Milk make 



A prominent member of the king snake tribe is the milk snake, 

 var. triangulus (Boie), which is common in the villages and farm 

 country of Rockland county. This variety, according to Cope, 

 Stejneger and other authors, is the most northern and also the 

 most widely separated from the type (Osceola doliata of Cope). 



The milk snake is often killed in barns by the farmers of the 

 state. The writer has never seen it take milk or steal eggs, as it 

 has been accused of doing by trustworthy writers. 



