Choose the description that best fits the snake of interest.
If none match go back to Key to Colubrids.
   
A. Small snake (less than 70 cm long), eye with vertical pupil, large 
blotch on each side of neck, dark bar behind eye, scales smooth and in 
19-21 rows, only in southern British Columbia.
             
             Hypsiglena torquata (Night Snake)



B. Large snake (grows to over 1.5 m), yellowish or light brown with 
bold dark brown to black blotches down midline of back, two 
alternating rows of smaller blotches on sides, belly yellow with dark 
squarish blotches, scales usually keeled and in 25 or 27 rows, only in 
southern Ontario.
             
             Elaphe gloydi (Eastern Fox Snake)


   
C. Large snake (grows to over 1 m), Y- or V-shaped patch on 
nape of neck, brown to reddish-brown blotches with black borders down 
back and sides, scales smooth and in 19-23 rows, southern Quebec and 
Ontario.
             
             Lampropeltis triangulum (Milk Snake)
     

D. Large snake (grows to over 1 m), dark crossbands on neck, 
alternating dark blotches on back and sides, pattern darkens with age 
becoming almost black, belly white, yellow, or gray with reddish brown or 
black crescent-shaped spots, scales keeled in 21-25 rows, southern Quebec 
and Ontario. 
             
             Nerodia sipedon (Northern Water Snake)
     

E. Large snake (grows to over 2 m), snout somewhat pointed, scales 
keeled and in 27-37 rows, in British Columbia and Alberta to Saskatchewan.
             
             Pituophis melanoleucus (Gopher Snake)