344 



OKDERS OF REPTILES— SERPENTS 



This serpent is courageous, but not particu- 

 larly aggressive. Its food consists of rats, birds, 

 eggs, small rodents, and warm-blooded creatures 

 generally. In South Carolina, Mr. Ditmars capt- 

 ured a specimen which but a few minutes pre- 

 viously had finished swallowing a bob-white. 



The home of this interesting and beautiful ser- 

 pent is practically the same as that of the king- 

 snake, — along the Atlantic coast from Maryland 

 to Florida, and westward through the Gulf states 

 to Arkansas. This snake is an egg-layer. 



The Gopher-Snake' is our representative of 

 the rat-snakes of South America and India, that 

 make a business of catching rats in and around 

 dwellings and out-buildings. In the South, it 

 is often called the "Black-Snake," — because it 

 is black ; but when it is particularly well polished, 

 it takes on a gun-barrel blue appearance, when it 

 is also called the Indigo-Snake. 



This is a large and showy serpent, often at- 

 taining 8 feet in length, "\'ery docile and good- 

 natured, and easily tamed. 



At Oak Lodge, Florida, we once saw a very 

 large wild Gopher-Snake emerge from the saw- 

 palmetto jungle, and crawl directlj^ toward the 

 house. When Mrs. Latham was informed, she 

 cried out reassuringly, "Oh, that is mjr pet snake ! 

 It keeps the place clear of rats." Forthwith she 



PINE-SNAKE. 



laid hold of it and picked it, up, which tlie ser- 

 ])ent did not resent iu the least, even when it 

 was passed from hand to hand for close examina- 

 tion. When finally released, it leisurely crawled 

 under the house, (|uite as if nothing had hap- 

 pened. 



' lipi-lo'les co'ra-is cou' pcr-ii. 



This is one of the best of all serpents to keep 

 in captivity. In four years we have not lost a 

 specimen by death, and Mr. Ditmars has one 

 which he has kept in good health for eleven years. 

 It is next in hardiness to the water-moccasin. It 

 is an omnivorous feeder, and, named in the order 

 of choice, its food consists of rats, mice, birds, 

 snakes, eggs, frogs, fish, lizards and even raw 

 meat! (R. L. Ditmars.) 



The Gopher-Snake is not a constrictor, it does 

 not climb frequently, and does not care for water 

 except to drink. It is strictly a warm-country 

 species, and inhabits our Gulf states, from Flori- 

 da to Matamoras, Mexico. 



The typical Pine-Snake- inhabits the sandy 

 pine-woods along the Atlantic coast from New 

 Jersey to Florida ; but other species of this genus 

 are found throughout nearly every other portion 

 of the United States except New England. 



This species is quite harmless, even to other 

 snakes, but for all that, it is a powerful constric- 

 tor. It lays eggs, and feeds upon birds, small 

 rodents, and eggs. In devouring eggs it has a 

 ^'ery odd but intelligent trick. It swallows an egg 

 whole, and after it has passed a few inches down 

 the throat, where it forms a large swelling, the 

 serpent lifts its head, elevates its back, and exerts 

 downward pressure directly upon the egg until 

 the shell breaks! 



A striking pecuharity of the Pine-Snake is 

 found in the structure of its epiglottis, first ob- 

 served and described by Dr. C. A. White, by 

 means of which the hiss of this creature is so 

 loud and so well sustained that it is like the hiss 

 of red-hot iron in water. The maximum length 

 of this snake is about 7-i feet. Its ground-color 

 is whitish, the head is spotted with black, and 

 along the back there is a series of about twenty- 

 four A'cry large brown patches, margined with 

 black. Sometimes these blotches of color take 

 shape as bands. The abdomen is dull yellow, 

 with Islackish-brown patches. 



The Black-Snake of the East is a serpent of 

 narrow form, but wide distribution. Westward 

 it changes color, and is known at first as the Blue 

 Racer, and then as the Green Racer. Although 

 its Latin name is Za-me'nis con-stric'tor, it is 

 not a constrictor, it is badly misnamed, it is per- 

 fectly harmless to man, and its bite is never more 

 than a mere scratch. It is very cowardly, and 

 - Pit-ij-o'phis me-lan-o-leu'cus. 



