402 
VERTEBRATA. 
The Corn-Snake, C. guttatus, is four feet long ; light brown, with a reddish tinge, above ; 
along the back a row of squarish brick-colored spots ; beneath silver-white, with irregular black 
squares. It conceals itself during the day, and comes forth early in the morning, or at evening, 
being often seen along the road-sides. It is gentle and familiar, and lives in the neighborhood 
of settlements. Found in North Carolina. 
The Milk-Snake, C. exhnius, is three to four feet long ; ground color white above, with a 
series of dusky blotches, bordered with black, sometimes giving the animal the appearance of 
being banded with black and white ; the abdomen is silver-white. It is a very handsome species, 
of a gentle disposition ; feeds on field-mice and insects. It approaches the habitations of man 
Avithout fear, and is hence sometimes called the Rouse- Snake. It frequents dairies and cellars 
where milk is kept, and hence derives its common popular name. It is found in New England 
and the Middle States, and the Western States north of latitude 37°. 
The Indigo or Gopher Snake, C. Couperi, is from eight to twelve feet long ; color bluish-black 
above ; slate-color beneath ; an active and powerful species, perfectly harmless, but sometimes 
assuming a bold and threatening demeanor. It is often found occupying a hole with a species of 
tortoise called Gopher., whence one of its popular names. Common in the dry pine-hills south of 
the Alatamaha. It is the largest known species in the United States. 
The Grass or Green Snake, C. vernalis, is a smaU species, twenty inches long, bright green 
above and yellowish-white beneath. It lives in meadows of high grass, feeds on crickets and 
grasshoppers, is perfectly harmless, and may be handled with impunity. It is common in the 
Southern New England and the Northern Middle States. 
The Ring-Snake, C. punctatus, is twelve or fourteen inches long; color grayish-black above; 
reddish-yellow beneath ; found in the Atlantic States from Maine to Florida. 
The Pilot Black Snake, C. AUeffhaniensis, six feet long, resembles the common black snake, 
and is said even to exceed that agile species in swiftness. Dr. De Kay thinks this has given rise to 
the current idea already alluded to, of a variety of the common black snake, on which the appel- 
lation of Racer has been bestowed. This species is found along the Alleghany Mountains as far 
south as Virginia, 
The Chicken-Snake, C. quarivittatus, is four and a half to five feet long ; of a greenish-clay 
color above, with four longitudinal brown bands; beneath yellowish. It frequents the vicinity 
of houses, and is charged with devouring chickens. Found from North Carolina to Florida. 
THE PYTHON. 
THE BOID^. 
We now come to the large serpents of tropical countries, which, on account of their enor- 
mous size and strength, are almost as much to be dreaded as the venomous species. We have 
