Green Garter Snake

Eutaenia elegans, variety vagrans, (Baird & Girard)

Colouration: Greenish gray or yellowish above, with a narrow, yellow stripe on the back and very indistinct stripes on the sides. Between the stripes are two rows of small, rounded black spots; on the forward part of the body, some of the spots of the two upper rows fuse together, thus breaking the central stripe. With some specimens the spots over the greater part of the body fuse into the formation of narrow, wavy cross-bands. The abdomen is gray, profusely dotted or marbled with black. There is usually a pair of dark blotches behind the temples.
Dimensions: A specimen from Beaver County, Utah, shows the following dimensions:
Distribution: The variety vagrans is widely distributed and very abundant. It occurs from the Plains region to the Pacific coast--northward to Oregon and southward into southern California, Arizona and New Mexico.
Habits: In habits this form appears to be quite as aquatic as the typical water snakes--as least as regards many specimens figuring in the records of the writer. Captive specimens will enter a tank in chase of minnows and display great agility in catching the darting fish. This reptile literally swarms over many portions of the West.

The present form is easily recognised. The eyes are small and the upper lips are swollen and covered with large shields--characters which impart a sinister aspect to the head. The body is rather stout.

Total Length . . . . . 28 1/4 inches.

Length of Tail . . . . . 6 3/4 inches.

Greatest Diameter . . . . . 5/8 inches.

Width of Head . . . . . 5/8 inches.

Length of Head . . . . . 1 1/16 inches.