The King Snakes 



July loth. Eggs deposited. Symmetrically oval in shape; 

 length, I J inches — diameter, i an inch. On open- 

 ing one of these eggs it was found to contain 

 a tightly coiled embryo, two inches long, with well- 

 developed head and eyes well discernible. 



July 19th. The eggs are irregular and lumpy in outline. 

 Length, \} inches — greatest diameter, J J 0} an 

 inch. Oneopened;contained^;H&rvo3} incheslong. 

 When the same is closely examined the formation 

 of the scales can be plainly seen. The speci- 

 men is translucent and when held against the 

 light the heart may be seen beating in lively 

 fashion. 



Aug. 6th. Another of the eggs opened; it contains an 

 embryo 4I inches long, and much less translucent 

 than that of the preceding observation. The 

 scaiation is well formed, but no pattern is appar- 

 ent. 



Sept. 4th. The remaining eggs about to hatch. The young 

 snakes have cut openings in the shells and oc- 

 casionally protrude the tip of the snout for air. 



Sept. 5th. All of the young snakes have emerged. They 

 are yf inches in length, and j\ of an inch in 

 diameter at the thickest part of the body. In pat- 

 tern they are like the adult, though the blotches 

 on the back are of a more reddish tinge. About 

 three hours after hatching they shed their skins. 

 At the time of hatching the eggs are nearly twice 

 the size than when laid. 



Another specimen deposited eleven eggs on the 12th of 

 July, which were adherent in a cluster. This female was found 

 coiled about the eggs — thus gathering them tightly together. 

 The same habit was observed with several specimens. The brood 

 in question hatched between September 6th and 8th. (Illus- 

 tration, female and eggs. 



A fine specimen taken but a week previously near Ft. Lee, 

 New Jersey, laid nine eggs on July 28th. This female remained 

 coiled about the cluster for twenty-four hours. The young 

 snakes emerged on October ist, 2d, and 3d. 



The writer has examined a remarkable two-headed individual 

 of this species, which creature fed upon very young mice. How- 

 ever, the two heads had energetic quarrels for priority in swal- 

 lowing, although both throats led to a single channel connecting 

 with one stomach. In progressing there was a tendency for the 

 two heads to disagree, and locomotion was slow and erratic. 



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