90 
ously and strikes viciously at its tormentor. 
It makes an interesting pet and can be fed on 
small animals, small birds, frogs and hen’s eggs. 
“Tt is the pine snake that is so frequently 
seen In museums, where ‘snake charmers’ awe 
the horrified audience by their reckless hand- 
ling of large deadly (?) serpents. I have seen 
them brazenly caressed by representative 
‘snake charmers’ in sadly abbreviated skirts at 
our agricultural fairs, when I could not help 
deciding that the snake was far less dangerous 
than its blase ‘ charmer.’ ” 
“You are right, my Fritz, quite a trade has 
been developed for good live specimens of this 
species ; and the dealers in this peculiar mer- 
chandise ship so many pine snakes to the big 
cities, that this species is likely to be soon ex- 
terminated. 
The pine snake in its natural haunts is gen- 
erally found alone. It feeds on young rabbits, 
small birds and will venture near houses in 
search of hen’s eggs, while it never refuses an 
opportunity to regale itself on the contents of a 
‘stolen’ guinea’s nest. The female lays from 
six to ten blunt pointed or rather elliptical 
eggs, about the size of a pigeon’s egg, white, 
with tough leathery skin; these are deposited 
in the sand. The baby snakes are about seven 
inches in length and nearly white, markings 
quite obscure.” 
