120 COLUBER 4STIVUS. 



black, the iris golden. The neck is slightly contracted; the body greatly elongated, 

 and covered with carinated scales above and on the sides, the two or three 

 inferior rows are smooth, and with plates below. The tail is very long, cylindrical, 

 and pointed at the tip. 



Colour. The colour of the whole animal above is golden green, more or less 

 bright, according to the age of the animal or season of the year; below it is a 

 creamy-white. 



Dimensions. Length of head, 10 lines; greatest breadth of head, 4 lines; length 

 of body, 22 inches; length of tail, 2 inches; circumference of body, 1 inch. In the 

 individual here described, there were one hundred and sixty abdominal plates and 

 one hundred and forty subcaudal scales. 



Habits. This beautiful snake is perfectly harmless and gentle, easily domesti- 

 cated, and takes readily its food from the hand. I have seen it carried in the 

 pocket, or twisted round the arm or neck as a plaything, without ever evincing any 

 disposition to mischief. In its wild state it lives among the branches of trees and 

 shrubs, shooting with great velocity from bough to bough in pursuit of the insects 

 which serve as its nourishment. Its green colour, similar to the leaves among 

 which it lives, afford it protection against those birds which prey upon it. 



Geographical Distribution. This animal abounds in Carolina, whence it 

 extends through the southern and south-western states to Texas; how much further 

 south or west it may be found, cannot at this time be said. The northern limit 

 of the Coluber a?stivus is also uncertain. Professor Geddings has seen it near 

 Baltimore, and Dr. Pickering has "been credibly informed of its existence not far 

 from Philadelphia." Beyond this latitude it probably does not reach; its place 

 farther north being supplied by the Coluber vernalis of Dekay, an animal to which 

 it is allied. 



General Remarks. There is no doubt that this animal was first made known 



