Queen Snake

Tropidonotus leberis, (Linn.)

Colouration: Dark brown above, with three narrow, black stripes on the back (which are often indistinct) and a bright yellow stripe on the lower portion of the side, covering one-half of the first and second rows of scales.
Dimensions: The measurements of an adult specimen are given:
Distribution: The United States generally, east of the Mississippi River, but not common in the extreme Northern or Southern States. It is abundant in Ohio and the eastern portion of Illinois.
Habits: Having no opportunity of observing many of these snakes in captivity, the writer is indebted to Mr. C. S. Brimley, of Raleigh, North Carolina, for the following notes upon the habits:

Moderate in size, this species is considerably more slender than the majority of the water snakes. Its scales are roughly keeled.

The abdomen is yellow, with two dark brown stripes in the centre. If the narrow area of ground-colour beneath the yellow stripe on the side may be termed a band, this species might be said to have four dark bands beneath.

The upper lip plates (labials) and the nose plate (rostral) are yellow.

Total Length . . . . . 2 feet.

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

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

Width of Head . . . . . 7/16 inches.

Length of Head . . . . . 3/4 inches.

"So far as I know, Natrix leberis is aquatic and hangs on the bushes above the small brooks. Curiously enough it is only found on tributaries of Crabtree Creek, on the north side of Raleigh and not on the tributaries of Walnut Creek south of town. I am not sure whether I have ever had one to take food in captivity, but rather think I have. If one did, the food was live frogs or toads. I don't think it ever stays about sluggish streams or about ponds. The valley of Walnut, I might add, is much more marshy and the stream itself more sluggish than Crabtree, which condition, I believe, explains why lebevis shuns that stream and prefers Crabtree."