ZOOLOGY. 
301 
email series on each side, the blotches brown on the middle of the body, black towards the head and tail. Abdomen yellowish 
white, with an external series of rather large black spots on each side, inside of which are two irregular series of wavy black 
blotches. Head much spotted with black and labials heavily margined with the same. A pitch black post-ocular with a frontal 
band, and sub-orbital vertical bar.— Kennicott. 
The prairie bull snake is very numerous in eastern Minnesota, where I obtained many 
specimens. They are said to be occasionally ploughed up by the settlers when breaking the 
prairie sod. 
During the rutting season they seem to follow each other by the scent, as I noticed upon 
one occasion that having captured a fine living individual, and placed it with others in a barrel 
near my tent, a very large snake of the same species Avas found a short time after but a short 
distance from my reptile prison, being on its way in a direct line from the locality Avhence the 
other had just been brought. 
A nearly similar action Avas observed with another species. The facts might have been 
simply accidental, although if so, seemed strangely to confirm the popular belief on the subject. 
Whether the mates of these and other species do follow each other by the scent is Avell Avorthy 
of future investigation. The fact seemed so impressed on the minds of my companions that 
the naturalist’s tent was for a time tabooed. 
A very large Pituophis was collected by me in Nebraska. Its colors Avere considerably 
darker than those of the Minnesota specimens. The length of the skin, stretched somewhat 
in taking off, was eighty-seven inches.—S. 
BAS CANION VETUSTUS, Baird & Girard. 
Tlic Green Racer. 
Plate XX, Fig. 1. 
Bascanion vetustus, B. & G. Catal. N. A. Reptiles, I, 1853, 97.— Girard, U. S. Expl. Exped. Hcrpet. 127. PI. 
VIII, figs. 12—19. 
Sp. Ch.—W idth of head equal to half its length, taking the greatest dimensions, .nferior post-orbital in a notch between 
the fourth and fifth labials. Colors, when fresh, pale green above, straw yellow beneath, sometimes varying to brownish above. 
Three specimens of this handsome snake were caught in or near the Yakima valley, in 
August, 1853. Like its relative, the black snake of the Atlantic States,, it is perfectly harm¬ 
less, and does not even bite usually Avhen handled. It runs with great rapidity, and the 
popular name given both to this and to the allied, if not identical, B. flaviventris , of Nebraska 
and Kansas, is very appropriate. Not found west of the Coast range.—C. 
A specimen caught August 8, at Fort Steilacoom, had the folloAving colors Avhen fresh: Upper 
parts of a uniform broionish slate color. Edges of scales blackish. Skin colored the same as the 
central portions of the scales. Belly bluish Avhite, with a tinge of yellow anteriorly and under 
the chin. Caudal soutella much darker than those of the middle. 
Specimens from the Dalles partake of the characters of B. flaviventris , and are of a pale 
olive, becoming broAvn posteriorly, sides bluish. Young specimens are ash colored above, Avith 
chestnut spots; head olive and spotted. Beneath pale greenish yelloAV, with small reddish 
brown spots anteriorly. In older ones the blotches of the back become confluent and finally 
unicolor. 
It has the same habit of climbing in bushes common to the black snake of the eastern States, 
f'ound sparingly at Puget Sound.—S. 
