The Pine Snake at Lakehurst, New Jersey 1 



By William T. Davis 



In presenting to the museum a medium sized pine snake 

 Pituophis melanoleucus Daudin, collected at Lakehurst on May 13, 

 1909, I may take the occasion to record a large individual captured 

 near the same place in the first week of July, 1908. The specimen 

 was not seen by me, but on the authority of Mr. Curtis, owner 

 of the Curtis Cranberry Bog, the serpent was the largest that he 

 had ever observed. He found it near one of his berry houses 

 and first placed it in one bag, but fearing that it would not be 

 strong enough, he put another bag over that. The snake, bags 

 and all, weighed 25 lbs. 1 oz. It was about nine or ten feet long. 

 The usual length of fully grown individuals is about 6 to 8 feet. 



The snakes captured by the inhabitants of Lakehurst are usually 

 sent to Joseph Boger at Chatsworth, N. J., who is said to have 

 sold several hundred dollars' worth in 1907. Large pine snakes 

 usually bring about 15 cents a foot, and their skins can be used 

 for a variety of purposes. 



Mr. Charles W. Leng and I found a large pine snake west of 

 the village of Manchester, now Lakehurst, in June, 1898, which 

 we did not molest ; and while near Cedar Grove, Ocean Co., N. J., 

 in July, 1900, we came upon another. This was placed in a bag 

 at the earnest solicitation of Mr. Cranmeer, who stated that he 

 could get 50 cents for it. He was of the opinion that all of the 

 pine snakes should be captured because he had known them to 

 destroy many quail and rabbits. 



A man who Mr. Howard H. Cleaves and I met in September, 

 1907, in the woods between Tuckerton and Munion Field, N. J., 

 told us that he had been annoyed by the presence of a pine snake 

 under the floor of his bunk in a cabin he occupied. If he turned 



1 Presented May 15, 1909. 



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