THE CORN SNAKE 85 



Florida, thence westward through tlie Gulf states to Oklahoma, 

 Texas and Matamoras, Mexico. Its average length is about 

 3}4 feet, and it rarely exceeds 4 feet. From Maryland to 

 Georgia it is a black snake with thirty white bands or rings 

 around it, and is called the Chain Snake. Farther south its 

 body-color is greenish, with white rings, and is called the 

 Thunder Snake. Its favorite food is rats, mice, lizards, birds, 

 and other snakes; but no frogs are eaten. 



It reproduces by laying eggs. In Texas, New Mexico, 

 and Sonora, Mexico, the Splendid King Snake is found. In 

 Arizona, California and Nevada occurs Boyle's King Snake, a 

 conspicuous black serpent, marked by thirty broad, cream- 

 colored bands. The latter sometimes predominate so effect- 

 ively as to give the snake a general cream-colored appearance 

 with black rings. An entirely black variety, without rings, 

 is found in Indiana and Illinois. 



The Corn Snake,'^ sometimes called the Red Racer, is 

 one of the handsomest serpents in North America. Its gen- 

 eral color tone is mottled yellowish-red, or reddish-yellow. 

 In detail its color-pattern consists of about forty squarish 

 blocks along the back, each of which is dull brick-red, with 

 a deep margin of black, outside of which is a lighter ground- 

 color. Its length is a little over 3 feet, and its form is slender 

 and graceful. 



Like the king snake, this serpent is a powerful constrictor, 

 a good climber, and seldom is seen on the ground. In the 

 fields and forests, it is usually found in or upon low bushes. 

 It frequents the habitations of man, and the roofs of old out- 



^ Co-lu'ber gut-ta'tus. 



