284 REPTILES OF THE WORLD 



forming green bands between which the skin is intensely 

 black and showing, at regular intervals, broad bands 

 of white in lineate streaks. 



This attractive snake has a much elongated, conical 

 snout. The eyes are large and golden, with a horizontal 

 pupil. All of the writer's specimens have fed exclu- 

 sively upon lizards. The prey becomes quickly para- 

 lyzed after the serpent's fangs have been imbedded. 

 Snakes of this kind have a habit of stretching out the 

 anterior third of the body, sometimes a greater part of 

 the length, straight forward into space from their 

 arboreal roosts; in this position they peer about for a 

 good fraction of a minute's time. The feat shows 

 remarkable strength. All of the Dipsadomorphine tree 

 snakes evince this habit. 



A New World species of similar structure is found 

 from Mexico into tropical South America. This com- 

 mon reptile might appropriately be termed the Pike- 

 Headed Snake; the technical name is Oxybelis acumi- 

 natus. The head is elongated, terminating in a sharp 

 snout. Specimens may be green, gray or brown; the 

 latter hues are commoner and the bodies of such speci- 

 mens look like the remains of slender, dead vines loosely 

 twined among the foliage. As captives, examples of 

 this species exhibit much vivacity and intelligence. 

 They should be given a generous supply of branches. 

 On these they spend most of their time, seldom coiled, 

 but resting lightly in graceful undulations with upraised 

 heads, watching for food. They will remain for hours, 

 motionless, apparently glaring at nothing until the intro- 

 duction of several lizards into the cage produces an 

 immediate effect. A snake instantly discovers the prey, 

 stalking it with the slender neck drawn back into an 

 S -shaped loop. This position is retained until the snake 



