._^^ QL 553 N4K7 Presented to the UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY by the ONTARIO LEGISLATIVE LIBRARY 1980 ^"^EKnobel.! BRADLEE YrHiDDEI\l.fUBLI6H£R. 18 Ai^CH ST. "B OS TO w'?' The Turtles, Snakes, Fro^s AND OTHER REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS j^r*^^^^ . OF NEW ENGLAND AND THE NORTH t^P^^ By EDWARD KNOBEL BOSTON: I'l'BLisHKi. v.\ BRADLKE WHIDDEN m\?^ (.X /■ /v^ K 7 Copyrislht, I896, by E. Knobel. POCnAPHr AND PRC55WORK BV S J PARKMtLL * CO . BOSTON. U S. A, INTRODUCTION. Many (if the animals inciitionnl iu this Ixicik sulfer from uur prcjiulici-s far more than anv otluT class. They arc usually little known, but ])crsL-cutccl, feared, hated ami ruthlessly ilestrov'ed wherever found. l'"iirein()st, the snakes : these timid, watchful, silent and most t^raccful heinns are for the most part pertectly harmless, liven the daiiLCcrous ones only use their terrible weapons in self-defence. Turtles and fro;.:,s are often regarded as if \oid of feeling and ruthlessly tortured. Toails and salamanders, useful insect-destroyers, are trul}- homely to look at, but hidinLj umler ground or beneath stones seem to try their best not to hurt our feelini;s. With a little accpiainlancc the student will i]nd them useful, harmless i-reatures, fully deserving our svmpathies. The Latin names and some details are taken from I). S.Jordan's " Maiiiiii! of I'crtibral,- Animals" and from specimens at the Agassi/. Museum, Cambridge. -NoTl!. — Where r,Tiij;o of .species is siveii, as Western or Soutlieni. it is inferred to mean oul.siile of New I^nLilaiul. (3) Key to the Species. lUnlv euL-losed in a shell .....••■•• With walking feet ; shell hard : Plain gray, brown or black Marked with colored stripes or spots Shell soft, leathery With swimming feet, like paddles Body covered with scales : Four legs ; or if not, the neck as wide as head No legs ; neck narrower than liead Spotted or barred Striped lengthwise Plain Ring aroimd neck ISody covered with skin only : No tail, when adult .... Green Brown. )ellowish or gray Witli tail Turtle.s. Figs. I to 7 S to 14 15 to 16 17 Lizards. Snakes. I to 12 13 to 21 22 to 26 27 Frogs. I, 2, 3 4 to 14 Salamanders. (4) TURTLES. Tcstmfiuala. 1. Snapping Turtle. l^'helyJra itrpentina. Lent'th, twenty-four inclies ; dull hlackisli-brown, often covered with moss ; head, lar^e : eyes, near together, look, ing upwards ; neck beset with warts ; plates of shield with slightly embossed lines and showing ridge of backbone; hind edge of shield with large saw like teeth ; lower shield, small ; tail crested with horny large teeth. Found in waters everywhere ; rarely on land, except in breeding time. (3) 2. Allig-ator Snapper. Mcii-rochelys hu-ertina. Lenglli, forty inches; like No. i, but eyes far apart, looking sideways : plates of shield smooth, with an eleva- tion on upper hind corner, forming three ridges on back. Very strong and ferocious. Western and Southern. 3. Wood Turtle. Chelnpus iyisculptus. Length, eight inches ; dark reddish-brown, with oyster- shell-like embossed lines ; yellow-orange beneath, each plate having a black blotch in the outside corner. 4. Mud Turtle. Kinosternon peniisyliwiicum. Length, four inches ; similar to No. r ; head with lighter spots ; shield smooth, and shows no backbone ridge ; no teeth on hind edge; lower shield large, and can close the shell with it. Southern. 5. Musk Turtle. .Iromochc/ys odoratits. Lengtli, six inches ; black, head witli two yellow stripes nil each side; shield smooili, hut shows ridge of back bone, vellowish underneath. Emits a strong odor of musk. 6. Keeled Turtle. .InmuH-lielys ,tirinatu<:. Like No. 5, but plates overlappini^ each other ; dusky, n\arked with black edges and lines ; no stripes on head. Southern and Western. (7) 7. Salt Harsh Turtle. Terrapin, Diamond Back. Malackm- mys palustris. Lenc'-th, ten inches; ashy brown, wiih black engraved lines on ^ shield, and specks on head, neck and legs ; fnce, horn color, orange underneath. Highly esteemed for food. Southern. 8. Map Turtle. Maluclemmys geographicus. Length, six inches; blackish-brown, with rusty irregular lines; lower jaw with spoon- like tip. Western. 9. Hieroglyphic Turtle. Pseudemys hieroglyphica. Len'^th, si.x inches ; blackish, with yellow worm-like marks ; head with yellow stripes. Western. (8) OUBii- 10. Painted Turtle. Cluy setnys pnta. ed.e'^'Sjdd '' M '"'7 ' '!f """ t' '^ ^'''^'^■^^ ' -^'^ P'^^'^ I'^'^t- edged ; middle and side plates in one row : edge of shield, sides an.l underneath ornamented willi red and yellow lines ; smooth. 11. rZdsed Turtle. Chyys,-wys „i„r:^u!,,ta. Like Xo. lo. Init plates of shield alternating as usual, and side plates with embossed lines. Western. (9) 12. Spotted Turtle. Chelopus gutlatus. Length, four-and-a-half inches ; black, with round yellow-orange spots, irregularly scattered ; shield, very convex : no backbone ridge. (10) 13. Speckled Turtle. Entys meleagris. Length, eight inches ; black, with somewhat regularly dispersetl, irregular, yellowish specks. Southern and Western. (II) 14. Common Box Turtle. Cistudo airolina. Length, ten inches ; reddish dark-brown, with yellowish buff markings and dots ; variable in design. Southern. (ig 15. Soft=shelled Turtle. .Ispuhmeitci spinifcr. Length, si.xleen inches; olive, mottled with darker; front of shield beset witli warts; head, striped. Western. 16. Leather Turtle, .l/itn/.i iiiufiai. Lengtii, twelve inches ; like No. 15, but no warts on shield and no stripes on head. Western. (13) 17. Logger=head Turtle. Thalassochdys careita. Reaches a weight of 450 pounds ; greenish-black. Found in the open sea and also near Europe. (14) LIZARDS. Lacc'tilia. 1. Blue=tailed Lizard. Eunu-a-s fasciatus. Length, ten inches; dark olive nr rcililisli-browii, with five yellow stripes ; tail, hrii^lit blue, white nndt-rnf ath. 2. Six=striped Lizard. Ciiemiilop/iorus si-xlhitatiis. Lenglli, eigiit inches; jjrown, with tliree yellow and black lines on each side. 3. Glass Snake. Ophisaurus 7\iitni!is\ Lengtii, twentj'-five inches; greenish-brown, sides yellowish; no legs; tail very fragile. 4. Common Lizard. Swift. Sceloporus luiJiiuitiis. Length, seven inches ; green or bronze, with black bands above; throat a?id belly, blue and black. All are rare in New England, but found in the West and South. SNAKES. Ophidia. (16) 1. Rattlesnake. Crotalm. horriclui idurissus). Length, sixty inches; stout ; light gray-brown, with three rows of red Ijrown, (lari<-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 ])oison ; last joints of tail horny and tiat, forming the rattles; end of tail blunt. 1. Hassasauga. Prairik Rattlesnake. Sii/rurus cati-nafus. Length, thirty inclies : blackish-brown, with seven rows of black and yellow-edged chestnut-colored square spots; forehead coverctl with larger plates or scale.> than those of neck; upper jaw wiih poisonous fang teeth; rattles small. Western and .Southern. (IT) 3. Copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix. Length, forty inches ; hazel-brown, top of head copper-color; back, witli 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. CIS) 4. Deaf or Spreading Adder. Blowinc Vipkr. HetcroJon plafyrhhius. Length, thirty inches; light gray-brown with reddisli-hrowii or black spots, sometimes ahiiost black- Does not try to get away like most snakes, but spreads itself out llat 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. Ilt-fi-nnfon simus. Length, thirty inches ; yellowish-brown, with more spots on back than the preceding. Western and Southern. (10) 6. nilk Snake. Spotted Adder. OPhibohis. doliatus iriangidus. Length, fifty inches ; gray, with red-brown black-bordered blotches : belly black, or white with square black spots. (20) 0)M.' 7. Pine Snake. JiiiLL Snake. JHliMpliis tmianolau-us. Length, sixly inche-; : white, with black and brown markings. Smithcrn and Western , 8. Pine Snake. yv/mi////f sayi. Lengtli, sixty inclies; clie.stnul-l)rown. with many orange spots; sitles, Ijlack and orange. Western. (21) 9. Water Snake. Tropidoiiolus sipeiion. Lengtii, fifty inches ; back and sides, black and deep red-brown, willi gray blotches; belly, dirly 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. Tropidoiiotus rhombifer. Length, fifty inches ; brown, with square black blotches on the back. Western. (22) ■^ u\\J III I V \ 11. Fox Snake. Coluber •i-ulpinns. Length, sixty inches ; liglu brown, with square tlatk-l)r( i\\ n ijhjtclus. 12. Kirtland's Snake. Tropiiloclonitnn kirtlanli. Length, sixteen inches; rcddisli-brown. with four rows of round bi.icl< spots; belly, reddish, with two rows of i)l:i(_k dots; head, bhnck. Western. (23) 13. Striped Snake. Gartkr Snaki-;. Eutainia sirtalis. Length, thirty-six inches; grayish-black, witli three light-yellow stripes, and three rows of small black spots on each side. (24) 14. Western Striped 5nake. Kulainia radix. Length, twenty-five inches ; greenish-black, with ihree narrow yellow stripes and six rows of dots on each siue. Western. 15. Western Striped Snake. Kutiiinia proxinia. Length, thirty-five inches; black; back stripe, brown; side blackish, with greenish stripe. Western. 16. Fairey's Striped Snake. Jiiilaiiiin ptircyi. Length, thirty inches; black, with three greenish siripes ; black below side stripes ; body, stout. Western. C25) 17. Riband Snake. Ejitainia saurita. Length, thirty inches ; brown, with three yellow stripes ; body, slender; colors bright; very agile. (2C) 18. Queen Snake. A\-g!'ilack spots ; four toes on iiiiui feet. -Southern. II. Dark Blunt-nosed Salamander. .Unhlystoma (ipaaim. Lengtii, tiiree-and-one-haif inches; black, with fourteen blue-gray crossbars; belly, dark-blue. Western and Southwestern. 12. Tiger Salamander. Amhlysloma tigritium. Length, eiglit inches; dark lirown, with yellow crossbars and blotches; body, thick aiul strong. (45) 13. Spotted Salamander. Amblystoma ptinctatum. Length, six inches; black, with a row of large, round yellow spots on each side and legs. Common under stones. 14. Jefferson's Salamander. Amblystoma Jefferson ianufn. Length, six inches; blackish-brown or lead-color, with bluish-white spots ; head small and bodyslender. Western. 15. riud Puppy. Water Dog. Necturus maculatus. Length, twenty-four inches ; brown, spotted ; bright-red gills in three tufts on each side. Aquatic. Western and Southern. (46) For collectors who wish to preserve specimens : Fill a L^lass bottle or fruit jar with water, putting in as much white salt as the water will dissoh'e. Then [jut in youi' animal and close tigh" Some specimens will discolor the water at nrst and this requires a chauLje of water after a few months. If not exposed to direct sunlight the specimen will hold its natural colors for years. (47) V 0? ■i^< Knobel's Illustrated Guide Books To facilitate the Study of the Natural History ul tlie North. 1. Guide to Trees and Shrubs. 2. The Ferns and Evergreens. -= 3. Day Butterflies and Dusl^flyers. 4. Beetles of New Engl.ind and their Kind. 5. The Night Moths of New England. 6. Fresh«water Fishes of New England. 7. Turtles, Snakes, Frogs and other Reptiles. 8. Mosquitoes and Flies of the North. Each Fully Illustrated. Oblong:, paper, net 50 cents. Cloth, net 75 cents. Other interesting: volumes in preparation. Some Extra Good Books. "Every Bird." By Reginald Heber Howe, Jr. Fully Illustrated - - - $1.00 Game Birds OF/NORTH America. By Frank A. Bates. Illustrated - - 1.00 Sparrows AND'iFiNCHES OF New England. By C. J. Maynard. Colored Plates - 1.50 Key to the Water-Birds of Florida. By Chas. B. Cory. Ilkistrated - 1.75 GOODALE'S Wild Flowers of America. 51 Colored Plates - - - . 7.50 Eaton's Ferns of North America. 81 Colored Plates. 2 Vo's. - - - 40.00 Britton & Brown's Illustrated Flora of the Northern U. S. 3 Vols. - 9.00 Chapman's Flora of the Southern States. New Edition - . . . 4.00 In Portia's Gardens. By Wm. Sloane Kennedy ----- Moths and Butterflies of Eastern North America. Bv S. F. Denton 1.50 40.00 BRADLEE WHIDDEN, PUBLISHER AND BOOKSELLER, 18 Arch Street, Boston. Mass. S J. PA^«.H.LL &. CO., PRINTERS, BOSTO.H, PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE CARDS OR SLIPS FROM THIS POCKET UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY 53 ';K7 I<[notael , Edward The turtles, snakes, frogs and other reptiles and amphi- bians of riev; England and the north ioMed.