586 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



provoked, as Dr. Hay observes, it shows its irritation by vibrat- 

 ing the tip of its slender tail, which, when striking a crumpled leaf 

 or any other small object, may produce a rattling noise very like 

 that made by a rattlesnake under similar circumstances. The 

 large example caught near Bass Lake August 14, bit Professor 

 Wilson on the hand, causing blood to flow freely but producing 

 no serious effect. 



While entirely harmless, its habits are not unlike those of the 

 blacksnake and it doubtless destroys many eggs and young of 

 ground-nesting birds. Besides these, its food consists of mice 

 and other small rodents, the larger insects and their larvae. It 

 probably feeds to some extent on frogs and toads, but we have 

 no evidence that it ever catches fish. 



This is a large, light brown snake, with squarish, chocolate- 

 colored blotches about 60 in number; scales in 25 rows; ventral 

 plates 200 to 210 ; vertical plate broader than long. 



7. BLUE RACER 



COLUBER CONSTRICTOR FLAVIVENTRIS (Say) 



This common and familiar reptile, also known as the Black- 

 snake or Black Racer, is found pretty generally distributed 

 throughout the eastern United States and southward. It fre- 

 quents open woodlands, old fence rows and all places where dead 

 leaves are common. It is the largest of the snakes of this region. 

 It is an active, vigorous snake, moving over the ground with great 

 rapidity. It is not a coward, as are most snakes, but will, on occa- 

 sion, attack a person when disturbed, coming toward one rapidly 

 and with head raised one or two feet. Cope says "the constrict- 

 ing power of the black snake is not sufficient to cause inconvenience 

 to a man, but might seriously oppress a child. The pressure exer- 

 cised by a strong individual wound round the arm is sufficient to 

 compress and close the superficial veins, and cause the muscles to 

 ache, but it is easy to unwind the snake with the free hand and 

 arm." The Blacksnake is harmless, and its bite, which it rarely 

 inflicts, only amounts to a serious scratch. 



The Blacksnake's food consists chiefly of field mice, white- 

 footed mice, and other noxious varmints. It also feeds upon 

 frogs, toads, birds' eggs and young birds, and probably does more 

 harm than good. The greatest objection to it is its disposition to 

 rob birds' nests of their eggs and young. Ground-nesting birds 

 are particularly apt to suffer from the depredations of the Black- 

 snake; and those species such as song sparrows, catbird, thrasher, 



