# The turtles, snakes, frogs and other reptiles and amphibians of New England and the north/Snakes

Squamata
SNAKES. Ophidia.
1. Rattlesnake. Crotalus horridus (durissus).
Length, sixty inches; stout; light gray-brown, with three rows of red brown, dark-brown or black spots, more or less confluent; sometimes spots blurr, forming zigzag bands or broad cross bars; head, broad and triangular; forehead covered with scales not larger than those of the back; the upper jaw with two large fang teeth containing the poison; last joints of tail horny and flat, forming the rattles; end of tail blunt.
2. Massasauga. Prairie Rattlesnake. Sistrurus catenatus.
Length, thirty inches; blackish-brown, with seven rows of black and yellow-edged chestnut-colored square spots; forehead covered with larger plates or scale than those of neck; upper jaw with poisonous fang teeth; rattles small.
Western and Southern.
3. Copperhead. Agkistrodon contortrix.
Length, forty inches; hazel-brown, top of head copper-color; back, with black spots spreading on the sides; belly, yellowish, with black spots; forehead covered with larger plates or scales than those of neck; poisonous fang-teeth in the upper jaw; tail ending in a horny point with no rattles.
Western and Southern.
4. Deaf or Spreading Adder. Blowing Viper. Heterodon platyrhinus.
Length, thirty inches; light gray-brown with reddish-brown or black spots, sometimes almost black. Does not try to get away like most snakes, but spreads itself out flat on the ground, thus appearing double its size, and hisses. A very ugly looking snake, but said not to be dangerous, having no poisonous fang teeth.
5. Hog-nosed Snake. Heterodon simus.
Length, thirty inches; yellowish-brown, with more spots on back than the preceding.
Western and Southern.
6. Milk Snake. Spotted Adder. Ophibolus doliatus triangulus.
Length, fifty inches; gray, with red-brown black-bordered blotches; belly black, or white with square black spots.
7. Pine Snake. Bell Snake. Pituophis melanoleucus.
Length, sixty inches: white, with black and brown markings. Southern and Western
8. Pine Snake. Pituophis sayi.
Length, sixty inches; chestnut-brown, with many orange spots; sides, black and orange.
Western.
9. Water Snake. Tropidonotus sipedon.
Length, fifty inches; back and sides, black and deep red-brown, with gray blotches; belly, dirty white, with red and black spots. The pattern of both sides does not match on the back. A fierce fighter, but said not to be poisonous.
10. Western Water Snake. Tropidonotus rhombifer.
Length, fifty inches; brown, with square black blotches on the back. Western.
11. Fox Snake. Coluber vulpinus.
Length, sixty inches; light brown, with square dark-brown blotches.
12. Kirtland′s Snake. Tropidoclonium kirtlanii.
Length, sixteen inches; reddish-brown, with four rows of round black spots; belly, reddish, with two rows of black dots; head, black.
Western.
13. Striped Snake. Garter Snake. Eutainia sirtalis.
Length, thirty-six inches; grayish-black, with three light-yellow stripes, and three rows of small black spots on each side.
14. Western Striped Snake. Entainia radix.
Length, twenty-five inches; greenish-black, with three narrow yellow stripes and six rows of dots on each side.
Western.
15. Western Striped Snake. Entainia proxima.
Length, thirty-five inches; black; back stripe, brown; side blackish, with greenish stripe.
Western.
16. Fairey′s Striped Snake. Entainia faireyi.
Length, thirty inches; black, with three greenish stripes; black below side stripes; body, stout.
Western.
17. Riband Snake. Eutainia saurita.
Length, thirty inches; brown, with three yellow stripes; body, slender; colors bright; very agile.
18. Queen Snake. Regina leberis.
Length, twenty-four inches; chestnut brown, with three black lines on back and a yellow stripe on sides; belly, yellow, with four rows of black dots.
19. Graham′s Queen Snake. Regina grahami.
Length, twenty inches; brown; a paler stripe on back and no spots on belly; otherwise like No. 18. Western.
20. De Kay′s Snake. Storeria dekayi.
Length, twelve inches; gray-brown; a light stripe with two rows if black dots on the back; light-gray on belly.
21. Red-bellied Snake. Storeria occipito maculata.
Similar to above, but belly reddish, and three pale blotches back of the head.
22. Pilot Snake. Coluber obsoletus.
Length, sixty inches; deep, dull black; some scales, with white edges; belly, slate color; rough.
23. Black Snake. Racer. Bascanion constrictor.
Length, sixty inches; shining blue-black; belly, greenish; throat, white. When young, brownish-gray with black blotches.
24. Grass Snake. Liopeltis vernalis.
Length, twenty inches; bright green; belly, yellowish. One of the handsomest of snakes.
25. Brown Snake. Haldea striatula.
Length, ten inches; reddish-gray; belly, reddish: head long and neck narrow. Western.
26. Ground Snake. Carphophiop amoenus.
Length, twelve inches: shining chestnut-brown; belly, reddish: head very small.
27. Ring-Necked Snake. Diadophis punctatus.
Length, fifteen inches; violet-black; belly, orange, with a small black dot on each scale; light-orange ring around neck.