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however, than the rattle-snake. The black -snakes 

 were very numerous, and so many are still found in 

 all the northern States that every one living there is 

 familiar with their appearance. They are harmless, 

 but very voracious, using their powers of fascination 

 to secure birds, squirrels and other small animals, 

 which they afterward devour. The racer is very 

 long and slim, sometimes growing to the length of 

 eleven feet, while its diameter does not exceed an 

 inch. Their color is black, with the exception of 

 white rings around the neck. They glide over the 

 ground with their heads elevated about eighteen 

 inches, as rapidly as a dog can run. I was at one 

 time while ploughing, very much alarmed by one of 

 these snakes. I heard a hissing, but passed on 

 without paying much regard to it. When I again 

 came around to the place, it was repeated, but I 

 passed on as before. When I approached the spot 

 the third time my curiosity was excited, and I 

 resolved to ascertain the source of the hissing. 

 When I was near the spot from which it seemed to 

 proceed my attention was called for a moment to my 

 team, and when I again turned my head, I was 

 in contact with a racer, eleven feet in length, stand- 

 ing nearly erect, and darting his forked tongue, not 

 more more than a foot from my head. I sprang 

 back with a scream which startled one of the horses, 

 and plunging forward, it threw the other, broke 

 loose, and ran to the house. Eecovering myself, I 

 advanced toward the snake, when it settled down, 

 and retreated to the hollow in which it was first 



