THE GREEN SNAKE. 
135 
the body gradually swells towards the middle and then as gradually diminishes to the tail, 
which ends in a small point. The large smooth scales are arranged in such a manner that 
they just resemble the plaited leather of the whip, and the polished brown-black of the 
surface is exactly like that of a well-worn thong. 
The movements of this Snake are wonderfully quick, and when chasing its prey, it seems 
to fly over the ground. The mode of attack is very remarkable. Seizing the doomed creature 
in its mouth, it leaps forward, flings itself over the victim, envelops it with coil upon coil 
of its lithe body, so as to entangle the limbs and bind them to the body, and, in fact, makes 
itself into a living lasso. One of these Snakes was seen engaged in battle with a hawk, and 
would apparently have conquered 
in the seemingly unequal com- 
bat had not the foes been 
separated. It had grasped the 
hawk by one wing, had dragged 
it to the ground, and had suc- 
ceeded in disabling the terrible 
claws from striking, when the 
sudden approach of the narrator 
alarmed the Snake, which re- 
leased its hold, darted into the 
bushes, and permitted the rescued 
hawk to fly away in peace. 
The color of this Serpent is 
rather variable. Generally it is 
shining black above and lighter 
beneath, with splashes of purple- 
brown. Sometimes, however, it 
is cream or clay-colored, and oc- 
casionally has been seen almost 
white. But, whatever color may 
be the body, the portion near the 
head is always raven-black. The 
length of this Snake is about five 
or six feet. 
The Coach-Whip Snake 
{Bascanium flagelliforme ) is a 
rare species, inhabiting the Gulf 
States. As its name suggests, 
the body is long, slender, and 
graceful ; and it is a rapid COACH- WHIP SNAKE .—Bascanium flagelliforme. 
runner. 
Other species are from Texas, from the great Salt Lake, and from California. A genus, 
S alvadora, has a species found in Mexico. 
Another very slender Snake, also a native of America, is closely allied to the preceding 
species. This is the Green Snake, well known for its grass -green color and its singular 
activity. 
The Green Snake is fond of climbing trees, traversing the boughs in search of food with 
marvellous celerity, and darting at its insect prey through considerable distances. So slender 
is this Serpent, that a specimen which measures three feet in length, will barely reach one 
third of an inch in thickness at its widest part. Partly owing to this extreme delicacy of 
form, and partly on account of the leaf -green color of its body, the Green Snake is not easily 
seen among the foliage, and in many cases would be undiscovered but for its rapid and 
energetic movements. The food of this Snake consists mostly of insects. It is very readily 
