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--Apple-Mail-530--456376035 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi folks, On 19-Sep-10, at 8:20 PM, David & Alison Webster wrote: > Hi Jim & All, Sep 19, 2010 > I took a melanistic garter snake to Sherman Bleakney in the late > 60's or early 70's; dead so he may have made notes or preserved it. > This was in New Minas on a somewhat weedy west facing highway cut of > the road that crosses the Cornwallis meadow from 101 exit 12 & > therefore post construction of this extension by at leasts 3 years. > > It was far more agressive than I have otherwise seen (rearing > up, hissing and attempting to strike) so thinking it might be a > dangerous escaped pet I killed it. > > I also briefly saw a black snake, presumably garter but at the > time I had no idea, at Cambridge in about 1942; just after the > 'Waterville' airport was constructed in Cambridge. It was on a ledge > of bare earth below an airport drain pipe and at about my chest > level so I had an unobstructed view of it. > > This topic came up several years ago on naturens and, if I > recall correctly, it was considered to be uncommon but widespread. On 19-Sep-10, at 8:03 PM, Tuma Young wrote: > Hi Jim: > > Very interesting about the Black Garter Snake. I knew that NS has, > what, 4 species of Garter snakes and that one was black however I > did not know that it only is present on George's Island. In Amphibians and Reptiles of Nova Scotia, John Gilhen (1984) notes that Garter Snakes in the Maritimes (there is only one species present here, Thamnophis sirtalis pallidula Allen) are extremely variable in colouration. Blakeney (1959) categorized these within three "main" colour phases: 1) Cinnamon Brown 2) Yellowish Olive 3) Olive gray Gilhen (1984) added that "There is a great deal of variation within each of these three phases, and in Nova Scotia an additional black (melanistic) phase must be included." True melanistic individuals are uncommon but I don't believe they are restricted to George's Island. This summer John and I examined photos of an erythristic (red phase) Garter Snake from Nova Scotia. All this seems to be simply an illustration of the normal genetic variability within this species and not anything of undue significance. Cheers, Chris Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca> | Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada * Research Associate: Nova Scotia Museum | http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/research-asfr.htm * Review Editor: The Coleopterists Bulletin | http://www.coleopsoc.org/ * Subject Editor: ZooKeys | http://pensoftonline.net/zookeys/index.php/journal/index * Associate Editor: Journal of the Acadian Entomological Society | http://www.acadianes.org/journal.html * Editor: Atlantic Canada Coleoptera | http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/NHR/atlantic_coleoptera.html "Whenever I hear of the capture of rare beetles, I feel like an old war-horse at the sound of a trumpet." - Charles Darwin --Apple-Mail-530--456376035 Content-Type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; = -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi folks,<div><br><div><div>On = 19-Sep-10, at 8:20 PM, David & Alison Webster wrote:</div><br = class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><span = class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: = rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; = font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; = line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; = text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; = -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: = 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: = auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div = bgcolor=3D"#ffffff" style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: = space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><font size=3D"2">Hi = Jim & All, = Sep 19, 2010</font></div><div><font = size=3D"2"> I took a melanistic garter snake to = Sherman Bleakney in the late 60's or early 70's; dead so he may = have made notes or preserved it. This was in New Minas on a = somewhat weedy west facing highway cut of the road that crosses the = Cornwallis meadow from 101 exit 12 & therefore post construction of = this extension by at leasts 3 years.</font></div><div><font = size=3D"2"></font> </div><div><font size=3D"2"> = It was far more agressive than I have otherwise seen (rearing up, = hissing and attempting to strike) so thinking it might be a dangerous = escaped pet I killed it.</font></div><div><font = size=3D"2"></font> </div><div><font size=3D"2"> I = also briefly saw a black snake, presumably garter but at the time I = had no idea, at Cambridge in about 1942; just after the 'Waterville' = airport was constructed in Cambridge. It was on a ledge of bare = earth below an airport drain pipe and at about my chest level so I = had an unobstructed view of it.</font></div><div><font = size=3D"2"></font> </div><div><font size=3D"2"> = This topic came up several years ago on naturens and, if I recall = correctly, it was considered to be uncommon but = widespread.</font></div><div><font = size=3D"2"></font></div></div></span></blockquote></div><br></div><div><di= v>On 19-Sep-10, at 8:03 PM, Tuma Young wrote:</div><br = class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><span = class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: = rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; = font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; = line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; = white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; = -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: = 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: = auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div><div = style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, = serif; font-size: 12pt; "><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: = 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "></div><div = style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; ">Hi Jim:</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; = margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; = "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; = margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Very interesting about the Black = Garter Snake. I knew that NS has, what, 4 species of Garter snakes and = that one was black however I did not know that it only is present on = George's = Island. </div></div></div></span></blockquote><br></div><div>In = Amphibians and Reptiles of Nova Scotia, John Gilhen (1984) notes that = Garter Snakes in the Maritimes (there is only one species present here, = <i>Thamnophis sirtalis pallidula</i> Allen) are extremely variable in = colouration. Blakeney (1959) categorized these within three "main" = colour phases:</div><div><br></div><div>1) Cinnamon Brown</div><div>2) = Yellowish Olive</div><div>3) Olive gray</div><div><br></div><div>Gilhen = (1984)<b> </b>added that "There is a great deal of variation = within each of these three phases, and in Nova Scotia an additional = black (melanistic) phase must be included." True melanistic individuals = are uncommon but I don't believe they are restricted to George's Island. = This summer John and I examined photos of an erythristic (red = phase) Garter Snake from Nova Scotia. </div><div><br></div><div>All = this seems to be simply an illustration of the normal genetic = variability within this species and not anything of undue = significance.</div><div><br></div><div>Cheers,</div><div><br></div><div>Ch= ris</div><br><br><div apple-content-edited=3D"true"> <span = class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: = rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; = font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; = letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: = auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; = widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; = -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; = -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: = auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div style=3D"word-wrap: = break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: = after-white-space; "><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" = style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: = 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: = normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: = normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: = normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: = 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; = -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: = auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style=3D"word-wrap: = break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: = after-white-space; "><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" = style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: = 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: = normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: = normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: = normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: = 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; = -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: = auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style=3D"word-wrap: = break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: = after-white-space; "><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" = style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: = 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: = normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: = normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: = normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: = 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; = -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: = auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style=3D"word-wrap: = break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: = after-white-space; "><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" = style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: = 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: = normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: = normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: = normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: = 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; = -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: = auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style=3D"word-wrap: = break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: = after-white-space; "><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" = style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: = 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: = normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: = normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: = normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: = 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; = -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: = auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style=3D"word-wrap: = break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: = after-white-space; "><div><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" = size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 12px; = ">Christopher Majka <<a = href=3D"mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca">c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca</a>> = | Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada</span></font></div><div><font = class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" = style=3D"font-size: 12px; "><br></span></font></div><div><font = class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" = style=3D"font-size: 12px; ">* Research Associate: Nova Scotia Museum = | <a = href=3D"http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/research-asfr.htm">http://museum.gov.n= s.ca/mnh/research-asfr.htm</a></span></font></div><div><font = class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" = style=3D"font-size: 12px; ">* Review Editor: The Coleopterists Bulletin = | <a = href=3D"http://www.coleopsoc.org/">http://www.coleopsoc.org/</a></span></f= ont></div><div><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span = class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 12px; ">* Subject Editor: = ZooKeys | <a = href=3D"http://pensoftonline.net/zookeys/index.php/journal/index">http://p= ensoftonline.net/zookeys/index.php/journal/index</a></span></font></div><d= iv><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span = class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 12px; ">* Associate = Editor: Journal of the Acadian Entomological Society | <a = href=3D"http://www.acadianes.org/journal.html">http://www.acadianes.org/jo= urnal.html</a></span></font></div><div><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" = size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 12px; = ">* Editor: Atlantic Canada Coleoptera | <a = href=3D"http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/NHR/atlantic_coleoptera.html= ">http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/NHR/atlantic_coleoptera.html</a></= span></font></div><div><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span = class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 12px; = "><br></span></font></div><div><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" = size=3D"3"><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span = class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 12px; "><i>"Whenever I = hear of the capture of rare beetles, I feel like an old war-horse = at the sound of a trumpet."</i></span></font><span = class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 12px; "><span = class=3D"Apple-converted-space"> </span>- = Charles Darwin</span></font></div></div></span></div></span></div></s= pan></div></span></div></span></div></span> </div><br></body></html>= --Apple-Mail-530--456376035--
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