The Rat Snakes or Colubers 



Distribution. Thus far, taken only in the Davis Mountains, 

 southwest of Pecos, Texas. The species was originally described 

 in 1901. Less than a dozen specimens exist in collections. The 

 collector of all these specimens, Mr. E. Meyenberg, is dead. As 

 he collected all of these specimens within a year's time, it does 

 not seem probable that the species is rare. It is merely a 

 coincidence that no one has collected over the territory where 

 Mr. Meyenberg did such good work. Future collectors will 

 probably demonstrate that this snake ranges well into Mexico. 



Habits. Three living specimens have been under the writer's 

 observation. They were young and appeared to be fairly hardy. 

 Mice and young birds were readily devoured. These specimens 

 spent most of their time coiled in the branches of a small tree in 

 their cage. During the time they lived in the reptile house they 

 increased considerably in size. 



THE RED COLUBER; CORN SNAKE; RED CHICKEN 

 SNAKE; MOUSE SNAKE; SCARLET RACER; 



HOUSE SNAKE 

 Coluber guttaius, (Linn.) 



Moderately stout with a proportionately small head. Tht 

 scales are faintly keeled. Attains a length of six feet. 



Colouration. One of the most beautiful of North American 

 serpents, the species is easily recognised. The ground-colour 

 is pale red. On the back is a series of large, crimson saddles 

 narrowly bordered with black; on many specimens there is a 

 narrow white margin outside of the black; on each side of the 

 body is a smaller series of similar blotches and beneath this a 

 yet smaller series which terminates at the edges of the abdominal 

 plates and shows more of an orange hue than red. 



In bold contrast to the markings of the upper surface, the 

 abdomen is white with large black squares. 



On the neck and immediately behind the head is a red blotch 

 extending forward in two branches to the top of the head and 

 thence forward to form a wedge-shaped marking terminating 

 between the eyes. A red stripe crosses the forehead and from 

 behind each eye runs a line of similar colour, bordered with black 

 and terminating at the angle of the mouth. The plates of the 

 upper and lower lips arc whitish, with black borders. 



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