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Eggs and young of the eastern ring-neck snake, Diadophis punctatus edwardsii

TitleEggs and young of the eastern ring-neck snake, Diadophis punctatus edwardsii
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1926
AuthorsBlanchard FNelson
JournalPapers of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts and Letters
Volume7
Pagination279-292
KeywordsVERTEBRATES
Abstract
  1. The eastern ring-neck snake deposits commonly three or two eggs. There are records of complements of one, four, five, eight, and ten. 2. The eggs are deposited about the middle of July in northern Michigan. Extreme dates are July 3 and July 27. There is a record for southern New York of June 28. 3. The eggs of a complement are normally deposited within a few hours. 4. At deposition the eggs are cyclindrical, straight or curved, with blunt or slightly pointed ends. After a few days they become somewhat irregularly distended and increase slowly in length and girth. 5. At first the eggs are of cream color with sulphur-yellow ends, but after a few weeks the yellow disappears, and the eggs take on various stains from surrounding substances. 6. Hatching occurs commonly in from 51 to 54 days, but extremes of 46 and 60 days were observed, and one writer records 41 days. 7. The dates of hatching vary from August 28 to September 22, but most of the eggs hatch from August 28 to September 5. 8. Emergence from the egg requires from 15 to 27 hours. 9. The young snakes are shiny and nearly black above; the neck-ring is pale orange-yellow, and the belly is pinkish and translucent. 10. The skin is first shed on about the seventh day. The color above is then about the same as before, but more velvety in appearance. The belly, however, becomes cinnamon in color and opaque.