I02 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 



Range: The United States east of the Rocky ■Mountains; 

 Canada. 



Local distribution: Common in Rockland, Dutchess and 

 adjoining counties. 



With the exception of one other species, the Black Snake, 

 Bascanion constrictor (Fig. 8), attains the largest dimensions of 

 Black any of the local serpents. Above and beneath, with the 



Snake. exception of the chin and throat, this reptile is a uni- 

 form black, the smooth scales imparting to the creature's back 

 a luster similar to that of a gun-barrel. The chin and throat are 

 milky white. 



Young specimens show a remarkable variation from the 

 adult snake. Like all the snakes described thus far, the Black 

 Snake is an egg-laying species (oviparous). As is the case wath 

 the majority of the oviparous snakes, the eggs are left by the 

 parent to be hatched by the heat of the sun or of decomposing 

 vegetation. At the time of hatching, the young Black Snake 

 belies its name. The body is pale gray with a series of brownish 

 blotches down the back ; the head and sides are irregularly 

 spotted with black. At this stage it closely resembles the 

 Milk Snake, but may be distinguished therefrom by the tendency 

 of the blotches on the back to become very narrow as thev ap- 

 proach the tail and to disappear almost altogether on that 

 appendage. When a year old, the body color has become very 

 dark, but close inspection will reveal the dorsal blotches. As 

 age progresses the body color becomes darker until it assumes 

 the intense black of the adult. 



Extremely agile and feeding upon small rodents, birds, frogs 

 and other snakes, the Black Snake is not a constrictor as its 

 technical name implies, nor is it nearly so courageous as is 

 generally supposed. When surprised, this reptile will invariably 

 take to flight if this be possible, and few serpents can show the 

 speed of this black meteor as it darts away, to stop only when 

 apparent safety is attained. When cornered and escape is cut 

 off, this snake will fight bravelv, but the slightest opening is 

 instantly taken advantage of by a dash for cover. The needle- 

 like teeth can produce nothing but the most superficial wounds, 

 yet this serpent is quite generally dreaded. Without doubt the 



