The Green Snakes 



none could be induced to eat anything but insects, although such 

 food as salamanders, very small toads and frogs, earthworms 

 and other creatures readily devoured by other species of snakes 

 of similar size, were offered. Moreover, an examination of the 

 stomachs of a large series of alcoholic specimens that have been 

 caught wild, invariably revealed the presence of insects. 



The Green Snake will eat spiders, grasshoppers and crickets, 

 but in preference to anything of this character will take the 

 larvae or caterpillars of certain moths, which are common in the 

 situations frequented by the snakes. These caterpillars are of 

 the green, hairless kind, about an inch in length and slightly 

 less than a quarter of an inch in thickness. Many captive speci- 

 mens cannot be induced to take anything but these larvae, which, 

 when offered, are voraciously grasped and swallowed immediately. 



The majority of Green Snakes are the most gentle of ser- 

 pents and will submit to the most vigorous handling, even when 

 freshly captured, without showing the least sign of anger. Of 

 several hundred specimens, the writer failed to note an attempt 

 to bite except in the case of a single specimen from Long Island. 

 It is interesting to explain that this specimen was very dark 

 olive in colour and in decided contrast to the rich green of the 

 greater number of specimens. It would bite repeatedly at the 

 finger, but the minute teeth failed to produce even a scratch. 



A more innocent and more dainty reptile cannot be imagined 

 than one of these creatures, and the spectacle of a tiny green 

 serpent beaten to death on the roadside should provoke a pity 

 for the human individual who so "bravely" engaged in combat 

 and succeeded in destroying with the aid of a substantial club, 

 about twelve or fourteen inches of diminutive body that would 

 have real difficulty in battling with a fair-sized grasshopper. 



Rather open situations are generally selected by this reptile 

 which prowls through tangled grass, or into bushes. It is some- 

 times found coiled among vines where its green body so blends 

 with the colour of the stems and tendrils that the reptile may 

 be seen only with great difficulty. Toward the latter part of 

 the day it often crawls under flat stones that have been warmed 

 by the sun, and when discovered in such places will dart into the 

 surrounding grass with bewildering agility. Once among the 

 vegetation it crawls slowly, appearing to realise that its pro- 

 tective colouration will elude the pursuer. 



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