256 REPTILES OF THE WORLD 



of the rattler or the deadly copperhead snake, the can- 

 nibalistic habits relating to the smaller, weaker species. 

 When surprised by man it will always take to flight, if 

 escape be possible. Few snakes can show the agility 

 in getting over the ground as this black meteor, which 

 darts ofl^ to disappear as if by magic, as it threads its 

 way into undergrowth or among rocks. If cornered — 

 its escape be cut off — it will fight savagely, darting for 

 half the length of the body at the aggressor. Before 

 biting it pauses momentarily to slightly open the mouth ; 

 at such times the tail is vibrated, producing a distinct 

 whir if among dry leaves. The slightest opening is 

 instantly noted, the reptile making a dash for cover. 

 If it should bite, the needle-like teeth can cause nothing 

 but mere scratches on the skin. Nevertheless, the Black 

 Snake is generally feared — and everywhere slaughtered. 

 This is unfortunate, for the species is of real value to 

 man in destrojang the smaller mammals injurious to the 

 woods and fields. 



There is no mistaking a Black Snake. The smooth, 

 satiny black scales impart a gun-barrel luster to the 

 back. The abdomen is a lustrous slaty black; on the 

 chin and throat is a patch of milky white, this occasion- 

 ally showing on the upper lip plates. Large Black 

 Snakes are six feet long and an inch and a half in 

 diameter at the heaviest part of the body. The species 

 is oviparous, laying elongated white eggs that look as 

 if they had been sprinkled with coarse grains of salt. 

 Young "Black" Snakes are strangely different from 

 the parent, being pale gray with a series of brownish 

 blotches on the back; the head and sides are irregularly 

 spotted with black. When a year old the body color 

 becomes very dark, though close examination will reveal 

 the blotches. During the second j^ear the snake takes 



