The King Snakes 



Generally, the head markings are quite vivid.* There is a 

 dark band across the forward portion of the head and an arrow- 

 headed mark covering the central and rear portion of the head; 

 from behind the eye to the angle of the mouth is another dark 

 band. On the neck are usually two parallel bands, extending 

 to the base of the head. 



Dimensions. — General conformation similar to the preceding 

 species, though slightly larger and proportionately stouter. 



Total length of adult specimen 46 inches. 



Length ot tail 6^- 



Disiribulion. — The Central States. Indiana to Minnesota 

 comprise the eastern and northern limits of the range which in- 

 clines southwestward to Kansas and northern Texas. 



Habits. — Similar to the allied species — the Brown King Snake. 

 It feeds largely upon small rodents, birds and lizards, and ap- 

 pears to be less addicted to cannibalism than some species of this 

 genus. The greater number of captive specimens are shy and 

 delicate, refusing all food and thus gradually dying of starvation. 

 Occasional specimens that show traces of appetite, prefer very 

 young birds to all other food. 



THE DAVIS MOUNTAIN KING SNAKE 

 Ophibolus alternus, (A. E. Brown) 

 The present species appears to be very rare. The type 

 specimen was taken in the Davis Mountains of western Texas, 

 and was described by Mr. Arthur Erwin Brown, in the Proceedings 

 of the Academy of Natural Sciences, of Philadelphia, in December, 

 1 90 1. 



Colouration. — Following is a portion of Mr. Brown's diagnosis 

 of the type specimen : 



"The ground-colour is slate gray, crossed on the back, at in- 

 tervals of three to five scales, by bands of black which are al- 

 ternately wider and narrower, the wide ones covering from 2 to 

 3 scales on the middle of the back, and more or less divided trans- 

 versely on their centres with scarlet. The narrow bands are about 

 one scale wide and wholly black, occasionally broken through by 

 the ground-colour. On the neck the bands are narrower and less 



*With the exception of a dark bar from behind the eye to the angle 

 of the mouth, there are no head markings with the preceding species — 

 Ophibolus rhombomaculatus, the Brown King Snake. 



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