John, holbrooki are found well eastward into north central MS and south and central AL. There are some wonderful examples that inhabit the Black Belt, or Blackland Prairie region in central AL. They exhibit very prominent crossbars and huge spots. The look very similar to this Delta form actually. They extend almost all the way to GA around the Auburn campus. As soon as you reach Birmingham they start to show much influence from nigra, and forms from their northward are considered such.

The MS Delta region we are referring to might be different than what you guys are thinking of as the Delta. The MS state Delta is NOT the area of drainage into the saltwater estuaries and marshes along the LA coast. The MS Delta we are talking about is the MS River floodplain in west and and central MS. This area is characterized by low areas that were once bottomland hardwood forest, but now 90% or more of that is gone and only cultivated fields remain. It is one of the greatest ecological disasters you could imagine. Although many changes to the environment have taken place, and the habitat has been altered drastically there are a few spcies that seem to thrive really well there. Holbrooki would be one of those species. If you've never been through the MS delta then I would suggest you do so before you die. It's a different world over there. Seriously.

Just don't visit there unarmed....without firepower...lol.

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