42 



WEST AMERICAN SCIENTIST. 



SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SNAKES. 



A great variety of snakes exist 

 in Southern California, and a 

 credulous listener will be told 

 some startling tales — about rattle- 

 snakes ten feet long, rattlesnakes 

 pursuing horsemen on the desert 

 trails, snakes with legs, snakes 

 with two tails, and snakes! 



Perhaps some may be startled 

 to be told of the existence of a 

 representative of the great Boa 

 constrictor family of the tropics, 

 a species of Charina, not rarely 

 found throughout the county 

 where it is known as the India 

 rubber snake. When disturbed it 

 tries to "tie itself into a knot," 

 thinking, like the foolish ostrich, 

 to save itself from its enemies by 

 hiding its head, or, perhaps the 

 inherent instinct, of its great rela- 

 tives, the Boa constrictor and ana- 

 conda, is shared to some extent by 

 this harmless snake, causing it 

 instinctive to coil in the imaginary 

 act of enveloping its prey. It has 

 a very thick body, short, blunt 

 tail, slate-colored, brownish above. 



One of the more common snakes 

 is a species of Pityphis, the Bull 

 or Gopher snake, which is harm- 

 less and performs valuable ser- 

 vice in the destruction of vermin. 

 Another harmless and valuable 

 species is the Pilot, of the genus 

 Ophibolus, marked by pretty black 

 and white bands, and which is 

 known to destroy rattlesnakes oc- 

 casionally by swallowing them 

 alive! — seizing the rattlesnake un- 

 aware by the head, thereby ren- 

 dering it harmless. The King 

 snake, less common in this region, 

 is a similar species marked with 

 red bands in addition to the black 



and white bands, and is credited 

 with performing the same valua- 

 ble service for mankind of des- 

 troying rattlesnakes. 



During a recent trip, traveling 

 over 350 miles of mountain and 

 coast road, only two rattlesnakes 

 were seen out of more than a doz- 

 en serpents. One of these was of 

 a reddish color and was induced 

 to strike at a stick, extending 

 about one-third of its length in 

 the attempt. Failing in its at- 

 tempt, it commenced to advance 

 toward its tormentor to attack 

 him, when it was promptly shot. 

 The black rattlesnake is livelier 

 and more venomous but smaller 

 than the yellow, while on the des- 

 ert a third species is found, still 

 smaller and more pugnacious, 

 and of a lighter color nearly white 

 sometimes. 



Closing these brief notes, it is 

 only necessary to mention the 

 long and slender "racer," the rare 

 "garter snake," a species of Phim- 

 othyra, the water snake and a 

 small blue snake; while doubt- 

 less many other kinds abound 

 which it would be interesting to 

 know of, perhaps some still un- 

 known to "Science,"— that au- 

 gust personage that vainly strives 

 to keep track of Nature's endless 

 forms. C. R. Orcutt. 



w 



ANTED.— Californian Coleoptera in exchange 

 for Eastern. C. W. Leng, P O. box 3565, N.Y. 



1 LLTNOIS RIVER (AND ALSO FOSSIL) SHELLS- 

 1 For sale or exchanged. Seebach, Peru, Ills, 

 owns collection in Chicago Museum 



COINS, STAMPS, CURIOSITIES, 



24 page Catalogue and two medals, 10c. 

 BIRDS, EGG and SKIN LISTS for STAMP 



827 Brannan St. San Francisco, Cal. 



