64 SNAKES. 



often swallow all the Eggs from under a Hen that sits, and 

 coil himself under the Hen in the nest, where sometimes the 

 Housewife finds him.' Lawson, also, describes the ' Egg and 

 Chicken Snake' (a doubtful vernacular), 'so called because it is 

 frequent about the Hen-Yard, and eats Eggs and Chickens.' 

 The early American settlers guarded their poultry-yards 

 against snakes as vigilantly as against rats, foxes, and other 

 such predators. As for the * black snake,' though non- 

 venomous, all rearers of poultry visit him with vengeance. 



Often in our rambles through the woods in Virginia we 

 saw these snakes, and the swiftness with which they would 

 vanish through the grass like a flash of steel, proved how 

 well they merited their name of ' Racer.' These are the 

 'black snakes' par excellence, in distinction to the black 

 water-viper and several other kinds which have more or 

 less black about them. Sometimes they lay basking in 

 our path, probably after a meal, when they become sleepy 

 and inactive. On one such occasion I had an excellent 

 opportunity of examining one of them, and of measuring it. 

 It was exactly six feet long, and in the largest part as thick 

 as a man's arm. Its scales were beautifully bright, like an 

 armour of steel, the white throat and pale under tints com- 

 pleting the resemblance of polished metal. It was sleeping 

 on a soft carpet of moss and grass which bordered our sandy 

 path, and which showed the Racer to great advantage. My 

 young companion, a Virginian boy to whom no sport came 

 amiss, espied it with delight, and ran to pick up a stout stick. 

 Knowing that it was harmless, and so excellent a mouser, 

 I pleaded for its life ; for in truth the nocturnal visitors in 

 the shape of rats at our country dwelling were so noisy 



