SNAKES. 281 
The King Snake is almost sure to become a great favourite of 
'all those who care for it properly. It grows to a length of about 
6ft., of which the tail measures nearly one-seventh. It may some- 
times be bought in England for £1 to £2. 
The Milk Snake (Coronella triangulum, Daud., or Coluber 
eximius, Holbr.) is also a native of North America, but not found, 
I think, on the west of the Mississippi. As it is fairly hardy it 
need not be provided with artificial heat during the summer 
months while in captivity in this country. If in good condition 
as winter draws on it may be allowed to hibernate. The Milk 
Snake will eat mice and birds. I have never known it to take 
milk or heard of its doing so. When in the market it may be 
bought for about 10s. 
The following is a short description of C. triangulum: A broad 
rostral and a long loreal, one pra-ocular and two post-oculars, 
seven upper labials (of which the third and fourth touch the eye), 
and four lower labials. The smooth scales are generally placed in 
twenty-one rows, very rarely nineteen; ventrals number from 
184 to 214; the sub-caudals are in from forty-three to fifty-five 
pairs; and the anal scute is entire. This Snake is yellowish-grey 
aboye, marked with brownish or reddish black-edged spots, placed 
in three rows, the largest spots running along the centre of the 
back. From the eye to the angle to the mouth there is a black 
line. The lower parts are white, chequered with black. 
The Milk Snake grows to a length of about 30in., of which the 
tail measures one seventh. Its body and tail are fairly stout. 
The Egg-eating Snake (Duasypeltis scabra), though by no means 
striking in appearance, is one of the most interesting and curious 
of all Snakes. It is also known as De/rodon scaber (Owen), or 
“the rough-scaled neck-toothed”’ animal (dezré, a neck; and 
odous, odontos, a tooth; scaber, rough). The name Detrodon is 
well given, since there are several projections (each projection is 
called an hypopophysis, 7.e., an offshoot from below) from the 
anterior thoracic part of the backbone, which (the projections), 
tipped with enamel or dentine, pass through small holes into the 
gullet. These ‘‘ gular teeth”? form a kind of saw. 
The food of D. scaber consists of eggs of birds, which it swallows 
whole. If anyone who is ignorant of this creature’s extraordinary 
