L26 



THE BLACK SNAKE, OR ZWAh'TE SLANG. 



reptile, prettily marked, and brisk and lively in its movements, as is required for the purpose 

 of catching the agile prey on which it feeds. The Schaap-sticker lives mostly on insects and 

 small lizards, and darts upon them with great swiftness of movement. It is generally found 

 crawling among heaps of dead leaves, or trailing its variegated form over grassy banks, where 

 it linds the prey on which it subsists. 



The color of this Serpent is extremely variable, and decidedly different in the old and 

 young. In the young specimen, the spots that ornament the back are darker than in the 

 adult, and there is generally a little wash of green over the surface. The general color of this 

 Snake is brown, with a grayish or golden tint according to the individual. Along the back 

 run several rows, usually three or four in number, of dusky spots, generally of a somewhat 

 oval or rhombic form, and edged with deep black. In one specimen the spots have coalesced 

 so as to form tlu'ee continuous bands running along the body. The length of the Schaap- 

 sticker is about two feet. 



Another species belonging to this family is the Coronella Anstriaca. It is rather 

 remarkable, that where the Snake is tolerably common, the sand lizard {Lacerta stirpium) is 



SCHAAP-STK'KEH.-P«™mo/j^to.c rhombeatus. (Out-half natural mzc- ) 



also generally found. In general appearance, this Snake is not unlike the viper, and is about 

 the same size, attaining a length of two feet when adult. It may, however, easily be known 

 from the viper, by the absence of the chain of dark lozenge-shaped marks upon the back, for 

 which is substituted a double series of small dark spots, one row at each side of the spine. 

 There is a dark patch upon the shoulder and head, and under the eyes runs a blackish streak. 

 The body is generally brown, but the depth and tone of the ground color and the markings are 

 extremely variable, but are almost always darker towards the head. Below, the color is light 

 brown, often marbled with black. The neck is large, being scarcely smaller than the body. 



The Black Snake, or Zwaete Slang (Coronella cana), of Southern Africa, belongs to 

 the same genus. 



This reptile is common throughout Southern Africa, but is not very often seen, on 

 account of its timid habit of hiding itself in some crevice, except when in search of food, or 

 when coiled up in repose enjoying the hot beams of the sun. When young, it frequents little 

 hillocks covered with stones, but when it reaches adult age, it takes to the plains, preferring 

 those that are of a sandy nature, interspersed with little shrubs. It is a shy reptile, and 

 mostly runs away when alarmed. Sometimes, however, it will turn upon the pursuer, and if 



