The King Snakes 



within the first blotch of the upper series and the generally nar- 

 rower character of the blotches. 



Dimensions. The common Milk Snake attains a length of 

 three and a half feet, but such dimensions are above the average, 

 which is given: 



Total Length 34 inches, 



Length of Tail 5 



Greatest Diameter f 



Width of Head f 



Length of Head i 



Distribution. The southern New England States southward 

 to North Carolina and westward to Illinois and Wisconsin. This 

 serpent is particularly abundant in the counties of Ulster, Green, 

 Delaware and Sullivan, of New York State. 



Habits of the Milk Snake 



From the habit of prowling about the vicinity of stables 

 and dairies (in search of mice and rats), this prettily coloured 

 snake has acquired the bad reputation of stealing milk from the 

 cows, and making inroads upon the farmer's product to such 

 an extent that he may actually suffer financial loss from the 

 depredations committed by one of these reptiles. This is one 

 of the many fallacies existing about snakes, and resulting in an 

 unjust slaughter of really useful creatures. Snakes show no 

 liking for milk. Captive specimens cannot be induced to drink 

 it unless suffering from great thirst. It would be a feat beyond 

 physical possibility for a serpent the size of the largest Milk Snake 

 to consume enough milk from a cow if the reptile should be so 

 inclined to produce an effect noticeable to the most minute 

 degree. When mature, this snake attains a length of about a 

 yard, and is of rather slender build. A serpent of this size could 

 consume, if drinking its full of water, a quantity equivalent to 

 about two teaspoonsful ; this would demonstrate its capacity for 

 milk, and any cow that fed upon the scantiest vegetation that 

 ever graced sterile soil should yield enough milk to allow for this 

 quantity to be lost without being noted by the dairyman. In- 

 cidentally it might be explained that the Milk Snake frequents 

 country where the grazing is good and the cattle yield much 

 milk. In the face of these circumstances the reader is asked to 

 ponder on the logic of the farmer who declares that a single 



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