THE REPTILES OF OHIO 65 



Range. — Eastern Illinois to southern Ohio and south to central Alabama. 

 The black king snake barely enters the southern limits of the state (Map 14). 

 Locality records are: 



Adams County: Jefferson Twp. (OSM 468). Lynx Prairie, near Lynx (TZS 

 2401-5 — 4 hatched in captivity); Reck Run, Green Twp. (OSM 90). Lawrence 

 County: Hanging Rock near Ironton (OSM 31). SciOTO CoUNTY: 10 mi. SW of 

 Portsmouth (TZS 1943, 2000-7 — 8 hatched m captivity); Roosevelt Game Preserve, 

 Nile Twp. (OSM 429.1); Rushtown (OSM 357); 2 mi. N of Rushtown (TZS 

 1890); 2 mi. S of Rushtown (TZS 693). 



Habitat and Habits. — The black king snake is rather rare in Ohio; only 

 nine specimens were obtained in the field, and of these, three were found dead. 

 Individuals were taken in the bottom lands of the Scioto and Ohio Rivers and 

 in the adjacent hills. Two were dead on the road along the Scioto River near 

 Rushtown and another was taken in a nearby cornfield. One was discovered 

 beneath a large slab of sandstone on a rocky pastured hillside directly above 

 the Ohio River flood plain in Scioto County and another was on a dry rocky 

 slope a few miles back in the hills. A specimen taken in a small dry prairie 

 near Lynx, Adams County, was found crawling in the open shortly after noon 

 May 29, 1933. Blatchley (1899, 545) writing on the reptiles of Vigo County, 

 Indiana, states that this species "frequents rocky hillsides and the vicinity of 

 streams." Blanchard (1921, 44) found a specimen in Tennessee, shortly after 

 sunset, which was lying at full length along a road through farming country. 



King snakes resisted capture at first by striking and biting and emitting a 

 sharp hiss, but after being handled for a few minutes they became quiet and 

 permitted close e.xamination without show of fight. The only specimen which 

 varied from this behavior remained nervous and erratic throughout the more 

 than two years it was kept in captivity. Whenever recently hatched juveniles 

 were disturbed they struck repeatedly to the accompaniment of a sharp hiss 

 and the rapid vibration of their tails. Caged individuals showed a decided 

 tendency to hide under objects introduced into their quarters. 



The food of the king snake is varied; small mammals, birds and reptiles 

 are included on its menu. Captives ate white mice, young rats, sparrows and 

 the following snakes: Butler's garter snake, common garter snake, DeKay's 

 snake, common water snake, and queen snake. Blatchley (loc cit.) records a 

 specimen from Indiana which was found in the act of swallowing a garter 

 snake. Eggs, lizards and venomous snakes might be added to the list if the 

 feeding habits of this form are (as would be expected) similar to those of its 

 relatecl subspecies, the eastern king snake (Lampropeltis getulus getulus) and 

 Holbrook's king snake (Lampropeltis getulus holbrooki). 



The black king snake is a constrictor. Large or struggling prey is encircled 

 in one or more coils of the body which are pulled tightly until the victim is 

 suffocated. Small or defenseless food is engulfed directly or is held beneath a 

 coil of the body while being swallowed. 



The king snakes in general appear to be immune to the venoms of the 

 rattlesnakes and the moccasins (copperhead and cottonmouth) . There are 

 numerous records in which the poisonous species were overcome and eaten 



