94 University of California Publications in Zoology [Vol. 27 
Thamnophis el e guns (ssp. ?) and Diadophis amabilis. She says : ‘‘At 
least five tests were made with the Batrachoseps in connection with 
these two snakes. The taste is perhaps not quite to the snake’s liking, 
for in some cases there was a slight gaping after eating, but in no 
instance was there the least hesitation in attack. Only once did 
regurgitation occur and this once it may have been due to over-eating, 
for the snake had devoured three or four Batrachoseps in quick 
succession. ’ ’ 
Batrachoseps attenuatus breeds during the winter rainy period in 
central California. Eggs of this species were first discovered and 
described by Burke (1911, pp. 413, 414) from Stanford University, 
January, 1906, and January 5, 1907. On January 8, 1915, eggs, prob- 
ably of this species, were found at Snelling, Merced County (Grinnell 
and Storer, 1924, p. 654). Dr. V. E. Emmel obtained a set advanced 
in development at Berkeley on March 7, 1920, and Snyder (1923, 
pp. 86-88) obtained eggs at Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, March 14, 
1922. 
Burke (1911, p. 414) says: 
The first eggs obtained were discovered by T. Kimura during January, 1906. 
They were found partly buried in depressions under rocks on a moist hill side. 
On January 5, 1907, the author found some eggs under a log in a moist ravine 
well up in the hills near Stanford University. The eggs were deposited in small 
pockets in the ground; 21 were in one group and 10 in another group about 2 feet 
distant, while 4 were scattered between, suggesting that all were deposited by a 
single female. These eggs were round or slightly oval and about 6 mm. in 
diameter. Development was well advanced. The first individual to issue from 
the egg appeared on January 28, and was 17 mm. in length and of a dull black 
color. By May 22 it had doubled in length and was 35 mm. long. The majority 
of the eggs, when found, were covered with a fungus and failed to develop. This 
suggests that they may have been under abnormal conditions. It seems very likely 
that the majority of the eggs of this species are deposited just beneath the surface 
of the ground, as is the case with earthworm eggs, and so escape detection. 
Diligent search at the proper season should settle this question. 
The material at Snelling consisted of about 15 eggs. The lot 
obtained by Dr. Emmel (Storer, MS) was found under a plank in a 
moist springy place near a brush pile in Strawberry Canon. There 
were 53 eggs in all. The limb buds of all the legs of the embryos were 
about 1.5 millimeters long. The gills were in evidence but there was 
no trace of a tail fin. On March 15, two embryos removed from their 
capsules measured 13 to 14 millimeters in total length. The gills were 
almost entirely resorbed by the time of hatching, which for some of 
the eggs occurred on March 20. 
