364 LOWER VERTEBRATES. 



common serpents belonging to the genera Ophibolus, Diadophis and Heterodon. 

 Ophibolus trianguhis, the milk-snake, is found from Canada to Virginia, and has 

 received, from its habit of frequenting old cellars and out-houses, while in search of 

 mice and small vermin, snakes and lizards, the name of house-snake ; its confidence 

 has been taken advantage of, however, and it has, of late, become quite uncommon. 

 It is a most beautiful, graceful, and active animal, and the slender body sometimes 

 reaches a length of four feet. The chain-snake, Ophibolus getulus, is a more southern 

 animal. In the south it is one of the most beautiful, as it is one of the most common, 

 snakes. Its body is of an intense black, ornamented by a series of narrow, white 

 rings, from the arrangement of which the animal has received its common name. The 

 negroes hold this serpent in the highest respect, and even give to it the name of 

 ' king.' They maintain that it exercises dominion over the other reptiles, and can meet 

 and overcome the deadly rattler. The diet of the chain-snake is ordinarily made up of 

 lizards, salamanders, small birds, and mice, as well as weaker members of its own species. 



Diadophis punctatus, or, as it is more popularly called, the ring or collared-snake, is 

 one of the most beautiful reptiles of our continent, over which it is very generally 

 distributed, east of the great plains. In its choice of raiment Diadophis has shown 

 most excellent taste, and, at the same time, good judgment. Above, a dark sage- 

 green, given the appearance of Highland plaid by the regularly arranged scales, 

 harmonizes with the shades of vegetation in which the little fellow searches for his 

 luncheon of bright-colored beetles and grasshoppers. He seems to know that below 

 he can wear a little bright color, which, being hid from above, will not attract the 

 attention of his enemies ; so he has decked himself in an orange waistcoat, sometimes 

 ornamented with a double row of black buttons, and finally finished his dandy costume 

 by putting on a white collar and black cravat. From its gaudy attire the ring-snake is 

 often selected as a jjet, and soon becomes accustomed to its new surroundings. 



Having a distribution very nearly coincident with Diadophis picnctatus, though a 

 much less interesting animal in appearance, is the pufiing-adder, hog-nosed snake, or 

 sand-viper, Heterodon platyrhinos. This serpent is large and unsightly. The rostral 

 plate is so formed as to resemble the up-turned snout of the hog, and when surprised, 

 if retreat is impossible, it flattens itself out, appearing to be twice its ordinary size. 

 It delights in dry, sandy districts, where it sometimes remains perfectly motionless, 

 basking in the sun for hours at a time ; or it may partly bury itself in the loose sand, 

 using its peculiar snout as a spade. From its uncouth appearance this reptile is 

 generally considered to be extremely poisonous. It is strange that such a character 

 should be given to a form which is perfectly harmless, and can be induced to feign the 

 aggressive only after protracted ill-treatment. I have repeatedly placed my finger in 

 the mouth of one that seemed to be of the most ferocious disposition, but no attempt 

 was made to bite. Of a half dozen North American Heterodoiis, the one under con- 

 sideration, which inhabits the United States, east of the Mississippi, is most familiar, 

 though it is in part replaced, in the south, by a black variety. The females are very 

 prolific, as many as one hundred and eleven being born of a specimen in the 

 National Museum. Seterodon is also found in Madagascar, and in Chili, both being 

 beautiful examples of the genus. Allied is Psammophylax rhombeatus, which is 

 abundant in South Africa, where it is known as the schaap-sticker. It is a very 

 graceful and active animal, about two feet in length, and feeds on small lizards and 

 insects. Considerable variety of coloring is shown by specimens of unlike ages and 

 from different localities. 



