76 COLUBER COUPERI. 



a little backwards. The eyes are large, with both pupil and iris black. The 

 neck is contracted, but less so than in the Black Snake. The body is elongated, 

 but stout, and covered above with very large, smooth, hexagonal scales, and with 

 broad plates below. The tail is of moderate length, and slender. 



Colour. The head above is blue, or bluish-black; the throat is of a bluish- 

 white colour, with blotches of reddish flesh-colour. The superior surface of the 

 animal is of a deep, bright bluish-black, of a beautiful metallic lustre in the sun; 

 the anterior part of the abdomen of a light bluish slate-colour; the posterior part 

 is of a darker shade, but of the same colour. 



Dimensions. Length of head, 2 inches, width, 18 lines; length of body, 75 

 inches, circumference, 7 inches; length of tail, 12 inches. In this specimen there 

 were 186 abdominal plates, with a single one before the vent; and 62 bifid caudal 

 plates. This snake frequently exceeds eight feet in length, and individuals have 

 been seen ten feet long. 



3 



Habits. J. Hamilton Couper, Esq. of St. Simon's Island, Georgia, to whom I 

 am indebted for a knowledge of this animal, says, "The Indigo Snake, or Gopher, 

 combines strength and activity. Its movements are confined to the surface of 

 the ground, in which they are free, and, for so large a snake, rapid. It is 

 perfectly harmless, frequenting the neighbourhood of settlements, where it is 

 usually unmolested, from its inoffensive character, and the prevalent belief that it 

 destroys the Rattlesnake, which it attacks with courage. It is often found 

 occupying the same hole with the Gopher (Testudo polyphemus), whence it 

 receives one of its names. Although a harmless snake, it is a bold one, and 

 when provoked, it faces its enemy with courage, vibrating its tail rapidly. It 

 is, however, so mild in character that it may be domesticated; and an instance 

 is mentioned of the negro children of a neighbouring plantation being in the 

 habit of holding on to the tail of one whilst it wandered about the yard." 



Geographical Distribution. "I have only seen it in the dry pine hills, south 



