ILLINOIS

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPA1GN

PRODUCTION NOTE

University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign library
Brittle Books Project, 2014.COPYRIGHT NOTIFICATION

In Public Domain.
Published prior to 1923.

This digital copy was made from the printed version held
by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
It was made in compliance with copyright law.

Prepared for the Brittle Books Project, Main Library,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
by

Northern Micrographics
Brookhaven Bindery
La Crosse, Wisconsin

2014Compliments of

W. H. SMITH.Supplement to Science Nf.w's.

CATALOGUE

OF THE

f^eptili&, arid ^rqpipbia

— OF-

MICHIGAN.

BY

W. H. SMITH, M. D.. PH. D.

iS'7©.





UNIVERSITY Of
ILLINOIS LIBRARY
AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGNCATALOGUE

OF THE

REPTILIA AND AMPHIBIA OF MICHIGAN.

The present catalogue is prepared with a view of giving the natu-
ralist the means of determining at a glance the herpetological fauna
of the State. That some animals may be omitted which will subse-
quently be detected, though rare, in Michigan, is a fact too patent to
need discussion. And yet it is hoped and believed that the present
list will be found nearly or quite complete.

While it is not intended in the present paper to discuss the
geographical distribution of these animals, it may be of interest to
state that our blue-tailed skink, Eumeces fasciatus, which is common in
Michigan and the eastern United States, also occurs in Mississippi,
Florida, Japan, New Holland and the Philippines, a dozen of this
species having been found in the collection brought by Prof. Steere
from the last named locality, thus showing that it is probably the com-
monest lizard found in those islands. Also that our Rana temporaria
var. sylvatica differs somewhat from the European animal, but that
those found in Eastern Asia are intermediate between the two. These
facts would seem to indicate that the faunas of the two continents had
formerly been more or less mingled by a migration from one to the
other along our Western border. Also, it may be said, that our Rana
haleciyia is the analogue of the Rana esculenta of the Old WTorld, and
Bufo lentiginosus corresponds similarly to their Bufo vulgaris.

Some interesting facts meet us in regard to the habitat of these
animals, as is notably the case with our lurid salamander, Arnlly-
stoma tigrinum var. luridum. This animal appears every spring as
.soon as the ice has thawed, at a small pond in Ann Arbor known as
the cat-hole. They can be seen there at this period in immense num-
bers, but soon lay their eggs and disappear. During the remainder of
the season they are to be found nowhere in the vicinity of this city,
either in or outside of the pond. Where they go in the interim and
spend their time only to reappear here again at the breeding season,
is, so far as known to me, a mystery. However, it is probable that the
animals after oviposition retreat inland and burrow or conceal them-
selves under logs and stones during the daytime, thus either lying in
wait for their prey or issuing forth at night to seek it. In like manner

' By Wr. H. Smith, M. D., Ph. D.IV

tlie Notopldhalmus viridescens is found at a lake two miles north of Ann
Arbor, and the Crotalophoms tergeminus occurs as a rule only in
marshes and low places, differing in this respect very strikingly from
the rattlesnake of the East.

The habits of some of our animals are met by corresponding
modifications of structure. A remarkable instance of this is seen in
the soft-shelled turtles, Trionychidm. In these there is a prolongation
of the nostrils forwards by a fleshy or leathery tube. The significance
and utility of this can be readily understood by recalling the fact that
these animals live buried in mud, under water, thus rendering a hard
shell unnecessary for protection, and that respiration is accomplished
by their bringing this proboscis to the surface. The peculiar modifi-
cation of the rostral shield in the hog-nosed snake, Heterodon, is
probably useful to the animal in removing the earth into which it
burrows or digs for food. All modifications can be readily understood
when the habits of the animal are known, just as surely as we can see
the adaptability of the foot-pads in the geckos which enable those
animals to walk upon the ceiling.

It may be well to state also that our species of garter-snake—
Eutcenia sirtalis—shows marked variations, some individuals being
without the dorsal stripe, some having the colors bright, others dull,
while some have the sides spotted and others are uniform with the ex-
ception of the stripes. Our Eumeces fasciatus also varies greatly, the
young being bright, with the stripes well marked, while the adult is a
uniform dark green or olive. Of our Graptemys geographica, a speci-
men was recently found by me upon the Huron river, of which the
shell exactly resembled the G. LeSueurii, but the other parts of the
animal conformed precisely to the type.

The blue racer of the West also differs strikingly in color from the
typical Bascanion constrictor. Our animal is not black, but varies from
a light azure blue to a bluish black, in most instances being of the
former color. The ordinary shade of the adult Michigan animal is light
8-zure blue, and it might properly be designated as a distinct variety,
under the term of cceruleus.

A very troublesome thing in regard to the study of these animals is
the change that their colors undergo in alcohol. Thus, yellow becomes
white ; green, blue; and red, brownish black; while brown and metallic
tints remain for some time unchanged. However, exposure to the sun
for a season will often enable one to form an idea of me original shade.

Sex is often also a difficult matter to determine without dissection.
Nevertheless, in most, if not all turtles, the male may be recognized by
its concave plastron. In the Anoura, the vocal vesicle when presentY

denotes the male, while at the breeding season, male frogs have the
brush and pad upon the thumb, and male toads have corneous glands
upon their fingers. Among serpents the females are larger, thicker,
less active, and duller colored than the males The difference in size
is quite pronounced, especially when the abdomen is filled with eggs.
At such times the appearance of the animal is strikingly changed, it
being much enlarged, thicker, and of duller coloration than at other
periods. The tip of the tail is thinner in males than in females, and
its base somewhat enlarged, in order to lodge the double intromittent
organ. The young are also bright colored.

Observations upon the development of the rattlesnake show the value
of certain characters used in classification. Thus, the foetal Grotaloph-
orus has the subcaudal plates or urosteges divided, and is also pro-
vided with grooved fangs. We thus see that these characters indicate
immaturity, and hence it follows that those serpents with entire uros-
teges, and with the fangs perforated, other things being equal, rank
higher than those in which these foetal conditions are permanent in
the adult state.

The materials upon which the accompanying list is founded are
the specimens in the Museum of Michigan University, and those col-
lected by the writer and other persons in their rambles through the
woods. The author has received assistance of this latter kind from
Mr. C. B. Cochran and D. J. and W. K. Higley. The last named gen-
tleman has also aided him somewhat in preparing the list of
Museum specimens. However, the writer considers himself responsi-
ble for the correctness of the present list, he having personally verified
every identification. Where this was not possible, and the opportunity
of seeing the animal not afforded, the name has been inserted with
quotation marks. A star prefixed to a name indicates that the animal
was observed in the vicinity of Ann Arbor, and a question mark thi>;s
placed signifies that though recorded from the State by some author,
yet, in the judgment of the present writer, it is doubtful whether such
animal belongs to our fauna; and while the name is here given for
reference, the question is raised as to whether the herpetologist so re-
ferring it has not fallen into an error.	^

Of Amphibia and Eeptilia not yet observed in Michigan, but whose
geographical range is such as to render their occurrence in &ar limits
not improbable, may be mentioned : Speierpes bilineatus, longicaudus,
et ruber, liana septentrionalis* Eidamia proxima, and Ophibolm calli-
gaster.

*Proc, Acad. ISfat. Bci,, Phil., 1854, p. Gl.VI

Reptili a.

LA.CERTILIA.

SCINCIDiE.

ZONUKIDiE.

Eumeces. "Wiegman.

*	Eumeces fasciatus, Linn.	Blue-tailed Skink.

Ophiosaurus.

? " Ophiosaurus veniralisDaudin.	Glass Snake.

OPHIDIA.

CROTALIDiE.

Crotalophorus. Linnseue.

*	Crotalophorus tergeminus, Holb.	Massassauga.

*	"	" var. Kirtlandii, Holb. Black	"

? " Crotalophorus miliarius" Linn.	Ground Battlesnake.

COLUBRIDiE.

EuTiENiA. Baird and Girard.

*	Eutcenia saurita, Linn.	Bibbon Snake.

*	"	sirtalis, Linn.	Common Garter "
"	'• var. radix, B. & G.	Hoy's " "

*	"	" " dorsalis, "

"	" " parietalis, "

Regina. Baird & Girard.

*	Begina leheris, Linn.	Leather Snake.

*	" Kirtlandii, Kennicott.	Little Bed "
" Grahamii, B. & G. Graham's "

Tropidonotus.	Kuhl.

■* Tropidonotus sipedon, Linn.	Water Snake.

" erythrogaster, Shaw.	Bed-bellied "

" " var. Agassizii,	B. & G. Agassiz's "

" rhombifer, Hallowell.	Holbrook's "

Heterodon. Beauvois.

^Bkterodon platyrhinus, Latreille.	Blowing Yiper.

" var. niger, Catesby.	Black "

Ophibolus. Baird & Girard.

*	Ophibolus triangalus, Boie.	Milk Snake.

Coluber. Linnaeus.

*	Coluber obsoletus, Say.	Pilot Black Snake.

" vulpinus, B. & G.	Fox's "VII

Bascanion. Baird & Girard.

Bascanion constrictor, Linn.	Blue Bacer.

" "	" var. FoxiiB. & G.	Fox's "

Liopeltis. Fitzinger.

*	Liopeltis vernalis, De Kay.	Green Snake,

Cyclophis. Gunther.

? Gyclophis cestivusLinn.	Summer Green Snake.

Diadophis. Baird & Girard.

*	Diadophis punctatus, Linn.	King-necked Snake.

Storeria. Baird &. Girard.

*	Storeria De Kayi, Holbrook.	Little Brown Snake.

*	" occipito-maculata, Storer.	Bed-bellied Storeria.

TESTUDINATA.

CISTUDINIDiE.

Cistudo. Flem.

*	Cistudo clausa, Gmelin.	Common Box Turtle

CHELYDRIDiE.

Chelydra. Schweigger.

*	Chelydra serpentina, Linn.

EMYDIDiE.

Emys. Brogniart.

*	Emys meleagris, Shaw.

Nanemys. Agassiz.

*	Nanemys guttatus, Schneider.

Graptemys. Agassiz.

*	Graptemys geographica, Le Sueur.

" Le Sueurii, Gray.	Le Sueur's "

Chrysemys. Gray.

*	Chrysemys marginata, Agassiz.

u Chrysemys pictaGray.

CINOSTERNIDiE.

clnosternum. Spix.

44 Ginosternum PennsylvanicumBosc.

Aromochelys. Gray.

Aromochelys odoratus, Latr.

TRIONYCHIDiE.

Amyda. Schweigger.

Amyda mutica, Le Sueur.

Aspidonectes. W agler.

*Aspidonectes spinifer, Le Sueur.

Snapping Turtle.

Long Box Tortoise.
Spotted Tortoise.
Map Turtle.

Lady Turtle.
Painted "/

Mud Tortoise.
Musk Tortoise.

Leathery Turtle.
Soft-shelled Turtle.VJII

Amphibia

ANOTJRA.

RANIDiE.

Eana. Linnaeus.

*	Bana halecina, Kalm.	Leopard Frog.

*	" palustris, Le Conte.	Marsh "

*	" temporaria, Linn.; var. sylvatica, Le C.	Wood "

*	" clamitans, Daudin.	,	Green '*

*	" Catesbyana, Shaw.	Bull "

bufonid2e.

Bufo.

*	Bufo lentiginosis, Shaw; var. Americanus, Le Conte. American Toad

HYLID2E.

Hyla. Laurenti.

*	Hyla versicolor, Le Conte.	Common Tree Toad.
" Hyla PickertngiiHolb. Pickering's " cc

Choeophilus. Baird.

*	Chorophilus triseriatus, Wied.	Little Tree Prog.

Acris. Dumeril and Bibron.

*	Acris gryllus, Le Conte ; var. crepitans, Bd.

UKODELA.

salamandbida.

Plethodon.

*	Plethodon erythronotus, Green.	Red-backed Salamander.

"	u var. cinereus, Green. Ashy-colored "

Notophthalmus.

*	Notophthalmm viridescens, Raf.	Crimson-spotted Newt.

Amblystoma.

^Aniblystoma punctaturn, Linn.	Violet-colored Salamander.

*	\" opacum, Gravenhorst. Blotched	"

*	tigrinum, Green; var. luridum, Sager. Lurid "

" \ Jeffersonianum,, Green.	Granulated Salamander.

pboteida.

x Menobranchus. Harlan.

*	Menobranchus lateralis, Say.	Mud Puppy.This book is a preservation facsimile produced for
the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
It is made in compliance with copyright law
and produced on acid-free archival

60# book weight paper
which meets the requirements of
ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (permanence of paper).

Preservation facsimile printing and binding
by

Northern Micrographics
Brookhaven Bindery
La Crosse, Wisconsin
2014