85 
is a glossy blue-black on the back and sides, 
and slate color below. A _ glistening white 
patch is always present on the chin and throat 
of this species. Its scales, ag you may observe 
from this fine specimen, are large, smooth and 
hexagonal in shape. The tail is about one- 
fourth the full length of its supple body. The 
eyes are large, bold and jet black. This species 
grows to a length of six feet; occasionally speci- 
mens are found over seven feet in length, but 
as a rule a black snake six feet long is an un- 
common find. 
The natural haunts of the black snake are in 
the vicinity of marshes and streams, where a 
dense growth of vegetation assures a safe shel- 
ter, into which it glides like an arrow when 
disturbed. Its food consists of frogs, small 
birds, such small animals as field mice and 
moles, etc. It climls trees readily to rob bird’s 
nests of eggs and young birds. It attacks other 
species of snakes fearlessly, even the deadly 
rattlesnake, and frequently gorges its victim 
after securing one. J have, on several occa- 
sions, witnessed my black snake pets seize gar- 
ter snakes and water adders nearly two feet in 
length and deliberately proceed to swallow the 
hapless victim. After seizing a snake, the 
black snake quickly throws a coil of its lithe 
body on the struggling captive, and thus hold- 
ing it firmly to the ground, begins the act of 
deglutition, or gorging its meal head-first. 
This species has a peculiar habit of beating 
