THE MILK SNAKE, OR HOUSE SNAKE. 131 



even enter houses, and can be tamed and made quite familiar. Sometimes it takes a fancy 

 to frequent the roadside, and may be seen quietly coiled and at rest, or trailing its 

 beautiful scales out of the reach of wheels or hoofs. 



The colours of this Serpent are brilliant, and arranged in a bold and striking manner. 

 The general colour is rich chestnut-red, and along each side runs a series of large patches 

 of a brighter, but deeper red, each patch being edged with jetty black. There is also a 

 row on each side of ranch smaller spots of an oval shape, just outside the larger row, and 

 arranged alternately with them. These spots are golden yellow, and are also edged with 

 black. There are some similar spots on the head, and a streak is generally found over 

 each temple. The under parts are silvery white, boldly chequered with black. The 

 length of the Corn-Snake varies from five to six feet. 



ANOTHER example of this genus is the THUNDER SNAKE, so called from the threatening 

 black and white of its body, which seems to have a lowering aspect, and to menace poison 

 as the thunder-cloud augurs lightning. Sometimes it is known by the name of KING 

 SNAKE, or CHAIN SNAKE, the latter title being given because the black and white markings 

 of the body are arranged alternately in a chain-like fashion. 



The Thunder Snake is mostly found in moist and shady places, where it feeds upon 

 small quadrupeds, reptiles, and birds if it can catch them. The portentous aspect of this 

 Snake is fully carried out by its character, which is fierce, quarrelsome, and aggressive to 

 a degree seldom found even in poisonous Serpents, and in a fangless Snake not at all to 

 be expected. If put in a box with other Serpents, it always quarrels and fights with 

 them ; and in one instance, when a Thunder Snake had been introduced into a cage where 

 a miliary rattlesnake was residing, it attacked the venomous reptile in spite of its 

 poisonous weapons, overpowered, killed, and ate it. Some persons think that a deadly 

 feud always rages between the Thunder Snake and rattlesnake, but the truth of this 

 supposition is somewhat dubious. In the instance just mentioned, the creature would 

 probably have treated a Serpent of any species in precisely the same manner. 



The Thunder Snake is coloured after a very peculiar fashion. All along the body run 

 alternate bands of jetty black and pure white, the black being very broad and the white 

 very narrow, and not reaching completely across the body. The head is also mottled and 

 scribbled with black upon white after a curious and most complicated fashion. The full 

 length of this Serpent is about four feet. 



Two other examples of this genus require a short notice, as they are frequently 

 mentioned in local works and books of travel. 



The CHICKEN SNAKE (Coluber quadrwittatus) derives its name from its habit of 

 entering farms and houses and stealing chickens from the roost. As, however, it feeds 

 largely on rats and mice, its services in this respect may in all probability counterbalance 

 the loss caused by its thefts. Like the corn-Snake, it is soon tamed, and will become very 

 familiar. In colour it is a very delicate looking reptile, being of a soft bright golden 

 brown, and having four narrow stripes upon a rich dark brown running the whole length 

 of the body. In length it is usually about four feet six inches, though a few specimens 

 attain the length of six and even seven feet. This is also a North American reptile. 



The MILK SNAKE, or HOUSE SNAKE (Coluber eximius) is common in many parts of 

 North America, and has derived its popular names from its habit of entering houses and 

 its fondness for milk, which some persons fancy it obtains from the cows. Its general 

 food consists of mice and insects, and, like the preceding species, it is probably of some 

 use to the farm where it takes up its residence, and worthy of the encouragement which 

 it sometimes receives. 



In the general arrangements of the markings, it is not unlike the corn-Snake, with 

 which it has often been confounded, especially after the fresh beauty of its colours has 

 been dimmed by death, or extracted and changed by spirits. There are similar rows of 

 patches along the sides, but in this species the spots are much broader, often coalescing 

 over the back and forming bands, and the general hue of the body is a beautiful blue 



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