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THE BLACK SNAKE, OR ZW ARTE SLANG . 
reptile, prettily marked, and brisk and lively in its movements, as is required for the purpose 
of catching the agile prey on which it feeds. The Schaap-sticker lives mostly on insects and 
small lizards, and darts upon them with great swiftness of movement. It is generally found 
crawling among heaps of dead leaves, or trailing its variegated form over grassy banks, where 
it finds the prey on which it subsists. 
The color of this Serpent is extremely variable, and decidedly different in the old and 
young. In the young specimen, the spots that ornament the back are darker than in the 
adult, and there is generally a little wash of green over the surface. The general color of this 
Snake is brown, with a grayish or golden tint according to the individual. Along the back 
run several rows, usually three or four in number, of dusky spots, generally of a somewhat 
oval or rhombic form, and edged with deep black. In one specimen the spots have coalesced 
so as to form three continuous bands running along the body. The length of the Schaap- 
sticker is about two feet. 
Another species belonging to this family is the CoroneTla Austriaca. It is rather 
remarkable, that where the Snake is tolerably qommon, the sand lizard (. Lacerta stirpium) is 
SCHAAP-STICKER .— Psammophylax rhombeatus. (One-half natural size.) 
also generally found. In general appearance, this Snake is not unlike the viper, and is about 
the same size, attaining a length of two feet when adult. It may, however, easily be known 
from the viper, by the absence of the chain of dark lozenge-shaped marks upon the back, for 
which is substituted a double series of small dark spots, one row at each side of the spine. 
There is a dark patch upon the shoulder and head, and under the eyes runs a blackish streak. 
The body is generally brown, but the depth and tone of the ground color and the markings are 
extremely variable, but are almost always darker towards the head. Below, the color is light 
brown, often marbled with black. The neck is large, being scarcely smaller than the body. 
The Black Snake, or Zwarte Slang ( Coronella cana), of Southern Africa, belongs to 
the same genus. 
This reptile is common throughout Southern Africa, but is not very often seen, on 
account of its timid habit of hiding itself in some crevice, except when in search of food, or 
when coiled up in repose enjoying the hot beams of the sun. When young, it frequents little 
hillocks covered with stones, but when it reaches adult age, it takes to the plains, preferring 
those that are of a sandy nature, interspersed with little shrubs. It is a shy reptile, and 
mostly runs away when alarmed. Sometimes, however, it will turn upon the pursuer, and if 
