Single-striped Garter Snake

Eutaenia elegans variety infernalis, (Cope)

Colouration: Olive or blackish, with a rich orange-yellow stripe on the back. There are no traces of stripes on the sides. The abdomen is olive, with a central row of yellow blotches, becoming narrower and disappearing toward the tail. The throat is bright yellow.
Dimensions: Total Length . . . . . 26 inches.
Distribution: California.
Habits: Were it not for the remarkable actions exhibited by serpents of the colouration of this variety, the writer would be tempted to consider the present reptile as but a phase of the typical form. From the latter its habits are different and quite eccentric--at least as regards its activity and methods of locomotion. It progresses in a rapid series of close, S-shaped movements and generally in an oblique direction to that in which the head is pointing--an evolution performed, though at a greatly reduced speed, by the "side-winder" rattlesnake. While making off in this fashion, if the snake is closely pursued, it will actually leap forward, for a distance of nearly a foot, by suddenly straightening the body. The writer has repeatedly noted the habit of these snakes of leaping from their cage when it is opened, throwing the body forward in a straight position, then making off over the floor at such a gait that it required some agility to catch them. The oblique method of progression at such times is almost uncanny. Of a large number of specimens, comprising three separate shipments, all displayed the same agile movements. They fed voraciously upon small toads and occasionally upon frogs, but exhibited a decided liking for the former. A number of these specimens gave birth to young and, judging from the small number in each litter, this form does not produce large broods as compared with related forms and species of the genus. The largest brood produced numbered fifteen young. These were born on the 20th of August. Another specimen gave birth to 8 young on the twenty-third of the same month, and a third to 7 young, on the 5th of September.

This is a fairly distinct, showy reptile, but very closely related to the typical form. In size it is exactly like the latter and the scalation is the same.

Young specimens of this variety show fairly distinct greenish stripes upon the sides, a character demonstrating the very close relationship to the typical form.

Length of Tail . . . . . 6 inches.

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

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

Length of Head . . . . . 1 1/8 inches.