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The following information on snakes varying greatly in size ( but all with less than a 10-foot maximum ) shows, when considered with the foregoing, that there is probably no correlation between the length of a snake and the time required for it to mature.

Oliver, in his summary of the habits of the snakes of the United States, could supply data on the maturing period for only three species in addition to the rattlers, which I shall consider separately.

These three were much alike: lined snake ( Tropidoclonion ), one year and nine months ; ;

red-bellied snake ( Storeria ), two years ; ;

cottonmouth ( Ancistrodon ), two years.

Klauber investigated the rattlesnakes carefully himself and also summarized what others have found.

He concluded that in the southern species, which are rapidly growing types, females mate at the age of two and a half and bear the first young when they are three.

Other herpetologists have ascertained that in the northern United States the prairie rattlesnake may not give first birth until it is four or even five years old, and that the young may be born every other year, rather than annually.

Carpenter's study showed that female common garter and ribbon snakes of Michigan mature at about the age of two.