The Rat Snakes or Colubers 



hatching, about six weeks later, the eggs have increased a third 

 in size and weight, owing to the constant absorption of moisture 

 during the growth of the embryo. When the eggs are deposited 

 they contain an almost thread-hke embryo, coiled like the hair- 

 spring of a watch and with an enormous head — in comparison 

 to the thin body. The little creature is soft, almost jelly-like 

 and devoid of all signs of life. On opening one of the eggs about 

 three weeks after deposition, the young snake is found to be rapidly 

 developing and well-formed; it is white and with large, 

 lumpy head. At this time the scales of the body may be 

 clearly seen. The body is translucent and the heart and larger 

 blood vessels are vividly apparent, the former beating steadily. 

 The young snake displays traces of life by occasional twitchings 

 of the body. If kept moist, it will live for about half an hour 

 after being removed from the egg. 



When an egg of the same batch is opened two weeks later 

 the young snake is found to be perfectly formed and exhibiting 

 a distinct pattern. The eggs hatch six or eight weeks after 

 deposit. 



A freshly hatched snake of this variety is about 12J inches 

 long. So different is the pattern from that of the adult that the 

 novice might reasonably pronounce it to be an entirely different 

 reptile. Indeed the pattern is exactly the reverse from the 

 make-up of the mature snake. 



The little snake emerges from the egg in August or early 

 in September and the pattern remains much the same until 

 well into the following summer, by which time the reptile has 

 increased from a foot in length to a measurement of about a 

 yard. The body has acquired the characteristic yellow of the 

 parent, although this ground-colour is possibly darker than 

 with maturity. Along the borders of the larger blotches of 

 the back run two smoky and indistinct stripes. Between 

 the blotches on the sides has appeared a dull, smoky hue, in- 

 distinctly fusing these together. Although the stripes of the 

 parent have thus intimated their presence, the reptile still pre- 

 sents a blotched aspect quite different from the parent. It yet 

 remains, and essentially,^ spotted snake. In the late spring of 

 the next year it will be observed to be much altered. The spots 

 of the sides have been obliterated under a dark and unbroken 

 band. On each side of the large saddles of the back — now of 



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