168 



Lycoming County Shafer, W. H., Oogen House. 



Drill, H., Oogen House. 



Sarson, W. , Okome. 



Monroe County Allegar, I. L Shawnee. 



Perry County, Brightbill, H. A., Marsh Run. 



Brightbill, H. M Marsh Run. 



Schuylkill County, Moyer, M Schuylkill Haven. 



Somerset County Suhrie, J. E. , Crumb. 



Venango County, Bean, Lauella, Emlenton. 



Washington County Couch, Jos., Hickory. 



Couch, Merle Canonsburg. 



Wayne County, Bullock, W. H Honesdale. 



Wyoming County, Sharpe, A. B., Jenningsville. 



York County Johnson, J., Woodbine. 



Both species of Black Snakes are reputed enemies of Copperheads 

 and Rattlers, and the effectiveness of Black Snakes in destroying 

 these two A'enomous species is so generally believed and reported 

 to us we must believe that there is enough truth in it to warrant 

 - the belief in the common assertions that the Black Snakes attack, 

 kill and eat Copperheads and Rattlers. However, we have not been 

 able to find specimens of this venomous species of reptile in the 

 stomachs of Black Snakes, although we have found them eating 

 Garter Snakes, Water Snakes and Grass Snakes. Prof. Veriiil, 

 of Yale, found a Copperhead in the stomach of one of this species. 

 It is remarkable how the snakes of this species can climb trees and 

 walls and how rapidly tliey can run over bushes and through 

 branches. We remember chasing one nearly one hundred yards as 

 it ran o^er bushes and vines four or live feet above the ground, 

 while the writer was running the same distance on practically open 

 sod ground. 



The Black Snake or Racer multiplies by laying eggs, which are 

 one and one-half to one and five-eighths inches in length, oval in 

 shape and twenty to forty in number, deposited two or three inches 

 below the surface of loose soil into which the reptile bores, or in 

 piles of sawdust, hollow logs or trees or decaying wood. The em- 

 bryonic snake at the time of hatching is nearly one foot in length 

 and is of such a light color and so spotted that it is seldom believed 

 to be a Black Snake. 



The eggs are laid during the latter part of June or early part of 

 July, and the last of the latter month the embryo shows typical 

 color markings. They geneially hatch during the latter part of 

 August or early j)art of September. We have collected them (our 

 specimen Xo. 10:}(j) hatching as lale as October. We have evidence 

 from cori-espondenc<' which will be published lat(M', that the young 

 may remain in the egg during the eiilire winter and not hatch nor be- 

 come active until the following spring. The shell is generally white 



