CORN SNAKE. 461 



form resembles that of the Nutria^ or common 

 English Snake, and % its general colour is pale 

 whitish yellow, ornamented on the upper parts 

 with numerous large and somewhat irregular 

 ovate patches of very bright ferruginous, bor- 

 dered with black or deep brown, with a few 

 small white spots intermixed : these spots or 

 patches are largest on the back, and smallest on 

 the sides, where they are accompanied by still 

 smaller specks of black : the under parts are whit- 

 ish, tinged with yellow, and varied here and there 

 by irregularly angular blackish patches. Like 

 most other snakes, it appears more or less bril- 

 liantly coloured at different periods, and is most 

 beautiful after having cast its skin : the ground- 

 colour is sometimes suffused with a tinge of purple, 

 which adds a peculiar beauty to its appearance. 

 It is of an innocent nature, and is principally 

 found in woods. It is a native of North America, 

 and in particular of Carolina. Mr. Catesby de- 

 scribes it under the name of the Corn Snake, which 

 he tells us is given it from a fancied resemblance 

 of its colour to those of some kinds of Indian corn 

 or maize. It is, according to Catesby, " a great 

 robber of hen-roosts." His figure represents it as 

 of a subferruginous yellow, with reddish brown 

 dorsal spots and variegations. It is sometimes 

 called by the name of the Beech Snake. The Com- 

 pressed. Snake of Mr. Merreni, 2. pi. 11. appears 

 much allied to this in general appearance. 



