On the Reservation and nearby areas I have seen remains of an estimated 20 clutches that have been destroyed by predators. The remains in every instance consisted of an excavation, and the strewn torn and empty eggshells. Nests were at depths of four to eight inches in old tunnels, which most often seemed to be those of moles but also included some of the prairie vole, and perhaps some of the pine vole (_Microtus pinetorum_). All these nests were in open sunny places in prairie or pasture habitat. Table 7. Numbers and Sizes of Eggs in Clutches of the Blue Racer From Eastern Kansas ========+===============+=================+==============+============== Number | | | | Snout-vent of | Lengths | Widths | Weights | length of Eggs | (mm.) | (mm.) | (grams) | female (mm.) --------+---------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------- 17 | 26.5(29-24) | 17.0(19.0-16.5) | 5.5(6.0-4.4) | 892 8 | 33.3(39-31) | 16.3(17.5-14.0) | 6.0(6.7-5.6) | 899 12 | 29.1(32-25.5) | 17.1(18.5-16.0) | 4.9(5.2-4.4) | 773 14 | 26.9(30-24) | 19.2(20-18) | 5.2(6.2-4.4) | 772 10 | 31.7(33-29) | 16.5(18-15) | 6.0(6.5-5.6) | 807 11 | 29.7(33-27) | 16.7(18-15) | 5.4(5.8-5.0) | 858 21 | 28.9(32-27) | 18.4(19.5-18) | 5.9(6.3-5.6) | 1038 13 | 30.7(34-28) | 19.3(20-18) | 6.8(7.5-6.1) | 907 18 | 29.0(30-26) | 17.9(19-16) | 4.9(5.5-4.3) | 911 12 | 30.3(34-28) | 17.8(19-15) | 5.2(6.1-3.8) | 843 14 | 30.9(36-29) | 19.4(21-18) | 6.8(7.6-6.2) | 846 --------+---------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------- Many observers have described the eggs of the racer, which are white, elliptical, somewhat elongate, with tough, leathery, somewhat flexible, shells, and a granular surface. Like other snake eggs, those of the racer gradually absorb moisture during incubation. They become more turgid and increase in weight and dimensions, especially in breadth, and by the time of hatching are nearly twice their size at laying. Between different clutches and even within the same clutch there is notable variation in the size of the newly laid eggs. Munro (1948:199) noted that in a small adult racer kept by him, the eggs laid were larger but less numerous than those produced by a large adult. Munro noted also that shape of eggs in the two clutches differed; the smaller snake produced more elongate eggs of smaller diameter. The idea that eggs laid by the smaller females are more slender and elongate is not supported by my own data. For 11 clutches of eggs examined soon after laying, dimensions, weights, and the lengths of the females are shown in Table 7.