93 



unlike most snakes, concealing itself during the day. It is very gentle 

 and familiar, frequenting the neighborhood of settlements, and at times 

 entering houses. According to Catesby, it is a great robber of hen- 

 roosts. If so, it must take the young fowls, and possibly the eggs. 



Coluber obsoletus, Say. 

 Alleghany Black-snake. 



Coluber obsoletus, Say, 1823, U, i, 140 ; Holbrook, 1842, 54, iii, 61, 

 pi. 12 ; Coluber alleghaniensis, Holbrook, 1842, 54., iii, 85, pi. 19 ; Scotophis 

 alleghaniemis, Baird and Girard, 1853, 6, 73; Elaphis obsoletus, Garrnan, 

 1883, 13, 54, pi. iv, fig. 2 ; Seotophis conjinus, Baii'd and Girard, 1853, 

 6, 76. 



A snake attaining a large size, of moderate slenderness, and with a tail 

 that forms a fifth of the total length. Head rather broad and the snout 

 blunt. Mouth large. Eye of medium size. Crown-shields 9 ; those 

 behind the prefrontals large. Postfrontals bent down on the face. 

 Rostral broad, and the snout projecting. Upper labials 8 (rarely 9) ; 

 6th and 7th largest. Lower labials 1 1 ; the 6th largest. Scales feebly 

 keeled ; some of the exterior rows smooth ; disposed in 27 rows (in some 

 specimens, 25 rows*). Ventral plates 230 to 250; subcaudals 53 to 86. 



Color varying from gray brown to pitch-black, sometimes with a tinge 

 of red. Often with numerous evident spots ; sometimes the spots obso- 

 lete, as in our form, the typical obsoletus. In this, the general color is a 

 black with a bluish tinge, or a pitch-black, most pronounced on the pos- 

 terior portion of the body. The anterior half may be lighter, and show 

 evidences of blotches. The whole of this part may have a decided tinge 

 of red, this being due to the color of the skin between the scales ; yet 

 the red may run up on the bases of the scales. Occasionally the spots 

 of the upper surface are of a decided red. The dorsal blotches extend 

 down on the sides to about the 7th row of scales, counting from the 

 lowest. They are about 6 scales long, and are separated by the length 

 of 2 scales. Alternating with these is another series which extend from 

 the od to the 7th rows of scales. These spots are all feebly indicated 

 by the sulphur yellow of the skin between the scales ; and often the 

 color is almost uniform black. There are some scales with yellow or 

 white edges. Lower jaw and throat white. The belly is of a slate-color 

 or black on the hinder half; anteriorly the black is mottled with yellow- 

 ish, which color becomes more and more abundant, until the throat and 

 chin are entirely yellowish. Small, or even half-grown, individuals may 

 have a ground color of ash-gray and numerous dark blotches. 



'■'A specimen from Brookville, Indiana, which resembles in other respects C. obsoletns, 

 has 29 rows of scales. 



