118 



NATURAL HISTORY OF VERMONT. 



Part I. 



THE CHICKEN AND WATER SNAKES. 



THE BANDED RATTLE SNAKE. 



THE CHICKEN SNAKE. 

 Coluber eximius. — De Kay. 



Description. — Color light ash, with 

 numerous laroro ocellated wood brown 

 ;5pots surrounded with black, which cover 

 more than half of the upper surface. A 

 row of these spots, which are very large, 

 passes from the head along the back to 

 the extremity of the tail ; another row of 

 similar but smaller spots passes along 

 each side, the spots lying intermediate 

 between those on the back ; belly light 

 flesh color, with quadrangular brownish 

 spots ; iris reddish orange. Body elon- 

 gated ; size nearly uniform from the head 

 to the vent, and covered above with 

 rhomboidal scales, each having two punc- 

 tures, or indentations, near the posterior 

 extremity. Head covered with 10 plates, 

 the central one between tlie eyes trian- 

 gular, and the two posterior ones very 

 large ; upper jaw margined by 14 and the 

 lower by 18 scales, besides the one at the 

 tip ; tail terminated in a blunt horny spine. 

 Length of the specimen .before me 32 

 inches, tail 4^, head 1, width .j^ the length. 

 Abdominal plates 20G, subcaudal scales 

 46 pair. 



History-. — This snake is occasionally 

 met with in all parts of the state, but is 

 not very common. It is called the Chick- 

 en Snake on account of its occasionally 

 destroying young chickens. It is also 

 called the llousR SiiaLc, because it is often 

 met with in and about old houses ; and 

 the Milk Snake from its supposed fond- 

 ness for milk. In some places it is known 

 by the name of the Chequered Jldder, 

 or Tkundcr-und-Ughtninir Snake. This 

 snake sometimes exceeds five feet in 

 length, with a circumference in the larg- 

 est pnrt of more than 4 inches. They feed 

 principally upon toads, frogs and sala- 

 manders, and are supposed also to catch 

 mice. Tlie opinion seems to be prevalent 

 that this snake is poisonous, but we have 

 seen no evidence adduced in its support. 

 It is very sluggish in its habits and move- 

 ments, and may be often seen stretched 

 along in the side of a stone wall, basking 



in the sun. 



THE WATER SNAKE. 

 Coluber sipcdon. — Linnaeus. 



Description. — Color above dark brown 



with large club-shaped spots upon the 

 sides of light yellowisii brow^n surrounded 

 by blackish, which join the light color of 

 the belly, and usual 1}' run to a point on 

 the back, sometimes meeting, but more 

 commonly alternating with the spots on 

 the opposite side ; belly mottled with 

 blackish, yellowisli-brown and yellowish- 

 white, the latter mostly triangular, and 

 in longitudinal rows; darker beneath the 

 tail. Body thick in proportion to the 

 length, and nearly uniform in size from 

 the neck to near the vent, after which it 

 tapers rapidly to a point ; scales strongly 

 carinated, especially on the posterior part 

 of the body. Length of the specimen be- 

 fore ine 28.| inches, tail 7^, plates 140, 

 scales 72 pair. 



History. — This Snake is never seen 

 at much distance from the water, but is 

 quite common in the marshes and grassy 

 coves along the margin of lake (Jham- 

 plain, and about the mouths of our large 

 rivers. It sometimes grows to the size of 

 a man's wrist, and is generally avoided 

 as venomous. It feeds upon frogs and 

 salamanders. 



Genus Ceotalus. — Linnaus. 

 Generic Characters. — Head large, iriangu* 

 lar, rounded in front, covered with plates ante- 

 riorly ; vertex and occiput with scales ; a deep 

 pit between the eye and nostril , upper jaw armed 

 willi poisonous fans/s ; body elongated, lliick ; tail 

 short and iliiok, leruiinaiinu in a rattle, which is 

 a corneous production of ihc c"|iiderniis; plates 

 on the abdomen and untler tlio laiL 



THE BANDED RATTLE SNAKE. 



Crotahis durissiis. — Kalm. 



Description. — Upper parts yellowish- 

 brown, with rhomboidal black spots along 

 the back, margined with bright 3'ellow ; 

 upon the sides of these rhombs a black 

 band is continued to the sides of the body, 

 where it terminates in an irregular quad- 

 rate black spot; tail black; under i)arts 

 yellow, with fuliginous dots and blotches ; 

 scales on the back elongated, carinated, 



