. Bulletin. Natural history; Natural history. 180 Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 28, Art. 1 Table 47.—Sexual variation in Illinois Farancia abacura. Figures in parentheses are numbers of specimens. Males (4) Females (3) Characteristic Range Mean Range Mean 188-194 36-37 8-11 167-171 46-49 10-12 length), fig. 176, lustrous blue-black above with 56 to 76 bright red transverse bars al- ternating with black bars beneath; red bars extending up onto lowermost scale rows; eyes degenerate; tail tip ending in a sharp spur; sc
. Bulletin. Natural history; Natural history. 180 Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 28, Art. 1 Table 47.—Sexual variation in Illinois Farancia abacura. Figures in parentheses are numbers of specimens. Males (4) Females (3) Characteristic Range Mean Range Mean 188-194 36-37 8-11 167-171 46-49 10-12 length), fig. 176, lustrous blue-black above with 56 to 76 bright red transverse bars al- ternating with black bars beneath; red bars extending up onto lowermost scale rows; eyes degenerate; tail tip ending in a sharp spur; scales smooth, in 19 or 20 rows; ven- trals 167 to 194; caudals 36 to 49; supra- labials 7 + 7, sometimes 6 on a side; infra- labials 8 + 8, sometimes 9 on a side; post- oculars usually 2 on a side, sometimes 1 or none. Variation.—Sexual characters in Faran- cia are remarkably abundant. The male differs from the female in having a large, bulbar tail, conspicuous suranal zone of re- duced scales, and keels on the suranal scales. Other sexual variation is summarized in ta- ble 47. According to H. Smith (1938), the juve- niles are like the adults in details of color and pattern. Nonsexual variation illustrated by seven specimens is as follows: size range 762 to 1,254 mm.; scale rows 20-20-19 in one, 20-19-19 in three, and 19 in three speci- mens; supralabials 7 + 7 in five, 6 + 7 in two; infralabials 8 + 8 in three, 9+9 in four specimens; postoculars 1 + 0 in one, 1 + 1 in one, 1 + 2 in two, and 2 + 2 in three specimens; light, transverse body bars 48 to 64 (average 57) ; separation medially of neck bars 9 scale rows in one, 10 in one, and 11 in five specimens. Habits.—Shallow ponds and sloughs with many partially decayed and water-soaked logs provide ideal habitat for the western mud snake. Most of the Illinois specimens, however, have been found crossing roads on rainy nights. Although this species is known locally as the "stinging snake," most resi- dents of south
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