OF THE UNITED STATES 



131 



blotched over with numerous irregular spots or patches of a bay 

 or pale chestnut color. Formerly, in technical parlance, this 

 species was known as Opkibolus rlwmbomaculatus, but the ac- 

 cepted genera] name is, at this writing, Lampropeltis. Its specific 

 name was giveu it because the spots or blotches upon i1s body 

 most frequently were rhomboidal in outline, or very nearly so. 

 The juvenile collectors in my vicinity often brought me in, dur- 

 ing the time mentioned, numerous examples of this reptile; and 

 one fine morning, there being an unusually handsome example 

 presented, it was chosen for a photograph. A small forked 

 branch of a pine tree was placed in position in the proper light in 

 my studio, and his snakeship allowed to coil himself about one 

 of the limbs. Being a little sluggish in movement at first, it did 

 this in a very deliberate manner, giving me abundant time after- 

 ward to focus upon the subject. After my shutter to the camera 

 had been closed and set, and the slide to the plate-holder with- 

 drawn, something called me suddenly away, and, upon return- 

 ing in a few moments, (he snake had partially lowered itself 

 down the limb, and was prepared to make its escape. 



T cautiously reached for the pneumatic bulb of the shutter, and 

 succeeded in getting a hold of it with my right hand, while the 

 movement was sufficient to cause an arrest in the descent of my 

 snake. The fore part of its body, including the head, was out- 

 stretched freely into space, and presented a beautiful double 

 curve. 



For an instant I observed this part of its length with the clos- 

 est possible scrutiny, and it did not appear to move in the least; 

 but my diaphragm was of very small aperture, and I hardly 

 dared to expose the plate. Xevertheless, we must take many 

 risks in such matters, and expose I did, with a very firm and 

 steady squeeze. Then in a few seconds the shutter was slowly 

 allowed to close, and the attempt completed. Upon developing 

 my plate it proved a success, and the reproduction of my picture 

 is shown in Figure •'!<> of the present chapter. 



We have in this country upward of two dozen species and sub- 

 species of King snakes, the common one being L. g. getulus — a 

 very handsome reptile, though one most mercilessly destroyed 

 whenever met with in its haunts by the ignorant and thought- 



