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

 The general color 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 much 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 threat- 

 ening 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 ag- 

 gressive 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 military 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 colored 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 quadrivittatus) derives its name from its habit of en- 

 tering 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 color 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 colors 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 



