. Bulletin. Natural history; Natural history. November, 1961 Smith : Amphibians and Reptiles of Illinois 183 Individual variation, which shows no geo- graphic correlation, for 58 specimens of arnyi and arnyi X edwardsi intergrades is as fol- lows: infralabials 8 -F 8 in 76 per cent, 7 + 8 in 7 per cent, 7 -f- 7 in 14 per cent, and 8 4-9 in 3 per cent; preoculars 2 -f- 2 in 98 per cent, 1 -|- 1 in 2 per cent; postoculars 2 -f 2 in 92 per cent, 2+ \ in 5 per cent, 1 -|- 1 in per cent, and 2 -|- 3 in per cent. In the 39 specimens with arnyi-ty^e ventral patterns, 82 per cent are irregular
. Bulletin. Natural history; Natural history. November, 1961 Smith : Amphibians and Reptiles of Illinois 183 Individual variation, which shows no geo- graphic correlation, for 58 specimens of arnyi and arnyi X edwardsi intergrades is as fol- lows: infralabials 8 -F 8 in 76 per cent, 7 + 8 in 7 per cent, 7 -f- 7 in 14 per cent, and 8 4-9 in 3 per cent; preoculars 2 -f- 2 in 98 per cent, 1 -|- 1 in 2 per cent; postoculars 2 -f 2 in 92 per cent, 2+ \ in 5 per cent, 1 -|- 1 in per cent, and 2 -|- 3 in per cent. In the 39 specimens with arnyi-ty^e ventral patterns, 82 per cent are irregularly spotted, 18 per cent have transverse bars. Habits.—The prairie ringneck snake is abundant under flat rocks on hill prairies and wooded bluffs during the spring and fall. In midsummer it seeks moist situations and. Fig. 179.—Distribution of Diadop/iis puncta- tus. Vertical hatching indicates the presumed range of the subspecies edwardsi in Illinois; horizontal hatching, the presumed range of the subspecies arnyi; diagonal hatching, the pre- sumed range of the subspecies stictogenys; crosshatching, the areas of intergradation be- tween subspecies; solid circles indicate locali- ties represented by specimens examined during this study; open circles, localities represented by published records believed to be valid. The lower map depicts the total range of the species in the United States. can sometimes be taken in numbers concen- trated in the vicinity of springs or in talus piles bordering low ground. Occasionally several snakes can be found under a single rock. When first uncovered they are tem- porarily dazed, but in a few seconds they scatter, often before they can be grabbed. Captured individuals do not bite but they excrete a foul-smelling substance. Many individuals curl their tails in corkscrew fashion, displaying the bright red color of the underside. The ringneck snake feeds on salamanders, arthropods, and earth- worms. Other small snakes have been re- ported as fo
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