146 REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS 



this species is blotched with chocolate brown, the blotches 

 extending from the head to the tail. The Fox Snake, a 

 rather viciously disposed species, will, when provoked, 

 vibrate the tip of its tail, which, when striking twigs, dead 

 leaves, or similar objects, produces the rattling sounds 

 which are usually associated with the rattlesnake. It is 

 a ground loving species, and will seldom ascend trees ; an 

 average sized specimen measures about four feet in length. 

 The Chicken Snake, Coluber obsoletus, a very arboreal 

 snake, attaining a length of six feet, has a more southern 

 distribution than the preceding species. Although in 

 captivity it may be fed exclusively on small mammals, it 

 is very partial to birds and their eggs, and derives its name 

 from its habit of stealing young fowl from poultry farms. 

 This snake is subject to many colour variations ; the 

 typical form is uniform brown or black above, while in 

 the variety spiloides the ground colour is relieved by large 

 dark brown spots. The variety quadrivittatus bears a 

 striking similarity to the European Four-lined Snake, the 

 brown or yellow colour being striped with four longitudinal 

 blackish bands. The young of all the Chicken Snakes are 

 blotched, as in the adult of the variety spiloides, the 

 blotches, except in the case of the latter variety, disappear- 

 ing with age. 



The Corn Snake, Coluber guttatus, one of the hand- 

 somest of all snakes, so called on account of its abundance 

 in cornfields, where it hunts for the small rodents upon 

 which it lives, is another common North American species, 

 which does well in captivity. It is yellowish or pale brown 

 above, with a dorsal series of red, black-edged spots ; the 

 belly is yellowish, with large squarish black blotches. 



