108 COLUBER FLAGELLIFORMIS. 



The neck is small, the body very long: the tail is long, attenuated like a whip-lash, 

 which it further resembles in the braided appearance produced by the large scales 

 and their dusky margins. The scales are all destitute of a carina, and in general 

 have two points at the apex; those on the upper part of the neck are quite small; 

 on the fore part of the body they are rhomboidal, narrow and elongated; and on 

 the tail and lower part of the body they are short and broad, somewhat hexagonal. 

 Abdominal plates, in the specimen figured, 203, and 109 pairs of subcaudal scales. 



Colour. The superior surface of the head and neck, and nearly one-third of 

 the body, is glossy raven-black, gradually becoming paler on approaching the 

 tail, which is of a very light brown or chocolate-colour; the scales on the tail are 

 rendered conspicuous by their dark margins. The inferior surface of the neck 

 and anterior part of the abdomen is bluish slate-colour; the posterior part white, 

 clouded with brown; some parts of the abdomen are white and shining, as well as 

 the inferior surface of the tail. This Snake varies however in colour, or rather 

 in shade; Bartram has seen them of a cream^colour, clay-coloured, and sometimes 

 almost white, but always raven-black near the head. 



Dimensions. Length of the head, to the small scales, li inches; of the head 

 and body, 45 inches; of the tail, 16 inches; circumference, 2 J inches; total length, 

 5 feet 1 inch. This is the measurement of the specimen from which the accom- 

 panying plate was taken; it is said they sometimes reach the length of seven feet. 



Geographical Distribution. The Coach-whip Snake is found in South Caro- 

 lina, Georgia, and Florida, but is rare. During a seven years' search I have 

 never seen but one living specimen, which was sent me by Mr. Hay, of Abbeville 

 District, South Carolina. ' 



Habits. This beautiful animal is remarkable for the swiftness of its motions, 

 "seeming almost to fly over the surface of the ground."* It feeds on young birds, 



* Bartram, Travels in Carolina, &c., p. 219. 



