370 THE MOUNTAIN. 



(Dekay.) This is the milk, house, and chicken snake. Not 

 abundant high up in the mountain. It frequents out-houses, 

 and is said to drink milk from the farmer's pans in his spring 

 house. 



BASCANION Constrictor, (B. and G.) (?) COLUBER Con- 

 strictor, (Linn., Syst. Nat.) This is the black snake, or 

 "racer." It is a very long, thin snake, graceful and comely, 

 but exceedingly wild and unapproachable. It is quick and 

 swift in its motions, gliding over the surface more rapidly 

 than any other snake. 



CHLOROSOMA Yernalis, (Wagl., B. and G.) COLUBER 

 Yernalis of Dekay, Holbrook, Storer, etc. Yulgo, green 

 snake. This handsome little snake is common on the Alle- 

 ghanies. It is a harmless species, and can be handled with 

 impunity. 



DIADOPHIS Punctatus, (B. and G.) Ring-necked snake. 

 COLUBER Punctatus of Linn., Gm., Harl., Holb., Stor. 

 This is rather a common species on the Alleghany. "Body 

 bluish-black above ; yellowish-orange beneath ; a yellowish- 

 white occipital ring." It is a comely little reptile, harmless 

 and innocent, but, like the rest of his family, continues to 

 suffer from the heel of the great tyrannical " seed of the 

 woman."* 



CELUTA Amcena, (B. and G.) COLUBER Amoenus, (Say.) 

 BRACHYORRHOS Amoenus, (Holb.) etc. "Above, chestnut- 

 brown uniform; opalescent, bright salmon-color beneath." 

 This little creature is positively pretty, (incarnations of evil 

 frequently are !) and has nothing of the repulsive characters 

 of the " snake" about it. It frequently occurs on the Alle- 

 ghany. 



STORERIA Dekayi, (B. andG.) This species is rare, but 

 is found occasionally at the eastern and western base of the 

 mountain. 



* The killing of inoffensive, harmless animals, even if they are 

 serpents, is no very noble or exalting business. It seems rather an 

 outlet (popular and right, of course !) to certain old instincts of pre- 

 judice and infernalism belonging to the domain of total depravity. 



