PARADISE KEY SAFFORD. 417 



in a semidomesticated state, subsisting principally on rats and mice. 

 Children sometimes pick it up, and it seems to enjoy being petted. 

 A fine, large specimen of this snake greeted the writer at the door 

 of the lodge, when he alighted from the automobile which conveyed 

 him to the park. The park warden gave a vivid description of the 

 mating of a pair, in which both the male and female strutted in 

 front of each other, as though trying to show off to the best ad- 

 vantage. Closely allied to this species is the black racer, Coluber 

 constrictor^ which does not kill its prey by squeezing, as commonly 

 believed, but is a constrictor only in name. Both of these snakes are 

 oviparous, the shell of the ^gg of the latter being white and tough and 

 sprinkled with grains resembling coarse salt. Both species have the 

 reputation of charming birds and small rodents, but this power is 

 quite imaginary. The two species are easily distinguished, the 

 gopher snake by its glossy body and reddish brown throat, chin, and 

 upper lip plates, and the black racer by its dull slaty luster and 

 milky white throat and chin. The closely allied coachwhip, or whip 

 snake, Coluber flagellunn, differs from the two preceding species in 

 having a nasty, irritable disposition, and will not submit to being 

 handled. Its body is slender, of a black or brown color above, be- 

 coming lighter toward the tail, and the under surface white, with the 

 plates of the throat clouded along the edges. It is very swift, often 

 climbing trees in quest of eggs and young birds, but it can not be 

 called arboreal.^ 



The green tree snake, or magjiolia snake, Opheodrys aestiviis {Cy- 

 clophis aest ivies), is a gentle creature of a uniform leaf -green above 

 and bright yellow beneath. It lives among the branches of bushes 

 and low trees, feeding upon grasshoppers, crickets, the larvre of 

 insects, and, according to Mr. Mosier, on small tree toads. In de- 

 scribing the vegetation of southern Florida hammocks, Dr. Small 

 refers to this species as follows : 



Orchids, air plants, and ferns completely clothe the limbs of the larger trees. 

 However, plants do not have a monopoly of the trees. Thei*e are also epiphytic 

 lizards and epiphytic snakes. There is everywhere present a beautiful green 

 snalce. It inhabits the hammocks and it is especially abundant in tliose of the 

 Everglades. It lies outstretched on the branches of shrubs and trees and glides 

 along the branches from one tree to another with surprising ease. One has 

 usually to be careful to look before laying hold of the limb of a tree for sup- 

 port, or he may grasp something of quite different consistency from that of 

 wood. One reason why this little creature is so much at ease among shrubbery 

 is the peculiar nature of its scales, each of which is distinctly keeled, so that 

 the general surface of the body is roughened and thus able to hold on more 

 securely to the branches along which it glides. 



» See Ditmars, R. L., The Reptile Book, pp. 28G-287. 1907. 



