The Racers 



A captive specimen slightly under five feet in length, deposited 

 eight eggs. These were elongated and cylindrical in shape. 

 They measured at time of deposit ij inches in length and It 

 of an inch in diameter. (Illustration — Batch of Eggs.) The 

 eggs are snow-white when laid, and have a tough, leathery shell. 

 Each egg, on close examination, appears to have a smooth, satiny 

 surface sprinkled with coarse grains of sail. This character dis- 

 tinguishes the eggs of the Blacksnake from those of the great 

 majority of snakes. 



The batch of eggs under discussion was placed in a pail 

 containing a composition of decaying pulp from the heart of a 

 dead tree, mixed with sphagnum moss — making an excellent 

 hatching medium. Following are several notes taken during 

 the development of these eggs. 



July 6th, Eight eggs deposited. Length i J inches; diameter 

 \\ of an inch. On opening one of the eggs it 

 was found to contain a minute embryo, coiled — 

 like the hair-spring of a watch. The eggs were 

 placed in an incubating medium. 



July 20th, The eggs have increased in size, but maintain 

 their symmetrical outlines. Length, 2 inches; 

 diameter, | of an inch. 



Aug. 15th, The eggs have increased greatly in size, especially 

 in diameter, becoming globular, rather than 

 cylindrical — appearing lumpy and irregular in out- 

 lines. On opening one of them, it was found to 

 contain an embryo five inches in length. This is 

 colourless, but shows the scalation to be well formed. 

 The head of the little creature is abnormally 

 large, while the body is so translucent that when 

 held before the light the heart may be seen per- 

 forming its regular pulsations. The only move- 

 ment of this immature specimen is a slight 

 twitching of the body. 



Sept. 4th, Two snakes emerged from the eggs. They re- 

 semble young milk snakes owing to the strikingly 

 blotched pattern. Length, 8j inches; diameter 

 ■j-\ of an inch. 



Sept. 5th, The remainder of the eggs hatched on this date. 



The following valuable information concerning the breeding 

 habits of the Blacksnake is quoted from the notes of Mr. C. S. 



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