2570 



SCALED REPTILES 



beneath the eye, which completely separate it from the upper labials, by the divided 

 anal shields, the presence of from twenty-five to twenty-nine longitudinal rows of 

 scales on the body, and likewise by the constancy of the coloration. Measuring 

 nearly six feet in length, this handsome snake has the ground color of the upper 

 parts varying from greenish or grayish yellow through orange to reddish brown. 

 As a rule, the head is marked by a dark oblique band between the eyes, behind 

 which is a second band, convex in front, and reaching to the neck, and a third 

 marked with light spots, so that a horseshoe pattern is formed between the spots 

 and bands. On the back runs a row of yellow-edged dark oval patches, which tend 

 to unite toward the hinder extremity, and on each side of this are a series of smaller 



BLACK-MARKED AND HORSESHOE SNAKES. 



(One-fourth natural size.) 



spots, beneath which, again, are more upright dark marks, extending downward to 

 the lower surface. As the upper dark patches are very large, the ground color is 

 generally reduced to a series of rings, forming a very regular and pretty pattern. 

 The under parts are yellow or orange red, spotted with black. 



Here also must be mentioned the Indian rat snake (Z. mucosus), 

 now included in this genus, although formerly referred to the next. 

 It is a large species, attaining a length of six feet or more. In color it is brown 

 above, frequently with more or less distinctly defined black cross bands on the hinder 

 part of the body and tail; the under surface being yellowish, often with black edges 

 to the shields of the hinder part of the body and tail. The range of this well- 



Rat Snake 



