344 
ORDERS OF REPTILES— SERPENTS 
This serpent is courageous, but not particu- 
larly aggressive. Its food consists of rats, birds, 
eggs, small rodents, and warm-blooded creatures 
generally. In South Carolina, Mr. Ditmars capt- 
ured a specimen which but a few minutes pre- 
viously had finished swallowing a bob-white. 
The home of this interesting and beautiful ser- 
pent is practically the same as that of the king- 
snake, — along the Atlantic coast from Maryland 
to Florida, and westward through the Gulf states 
to Arkansas. This snake is an egg-layer. 
The Goplier-Snake' is our representative of 
the rat-snakes of South America and India, that 
make a business of catching rats in and around 
dwellings and out-buildings. In the South, it 
is often called the “Black-Snake,” — because it 
is black ; but when it is particularly well polished, 
it takes on a gun-barrel blue appearance, when it 
is also called the Indigo-Snake. 
This is a large and showy serpent, often at- 
taining 8 feet in length, very docile and good- 
natured, and easily tamed. 
At Oak Lodge, Florida, we once saw a very 
large wild Gopher-Snake emerge from the saw- 
palmetto jungle, and crawl directly toward the 
house. When Mrs. Latham was informed, she 
cried out reassuringly, “ Oh, that is my pet snake! 
It keeps the place clear of rats.” Forthwith she 
PINE-SNAKE. 
laid hold of it and picked it up, which the ser- 
pent did not resent in the least, even when it 
was passed from hand to hand for close examina- 
tion. When finally released, it leisurely crawled 
under the house, quite as if nothing had hap- 
pened. 
1 Spi-lo'tes co’ra-is cou'per-ii. 
This is one of the best of all serpents to keep 
in captivity. In four years we have not lost a 
specimen by death, and Mr. Ditmars has one 
which he has kept in good health for eleven years. 
It is next in hardiness to the water-moccasin. It 
is an omnivorous feeder, and, named in the order 
of choice, its food consists of rats, mice, birds, 
snakes, eggs, frogs, fish, lizards and even raw 
meat! (R. L. Ditmars.) 
The Gopher-Snake is not a constrictor, it does 
not climb frequently, and does not care for water 
except to drink. It is strictly a warm-country 
species, and inhabits our Gulf states, from Flori- 
da to Matamoras, Mexico. 
The typical Pine-Snake 2 inhabits the sandy 
pine- woods along the Atlantic coast from New 
Jersey to Florida; but other species of this genus 
are found throughout nearly every other portion 
of the United States except New England. 
This species is quite harmless, even to other 
snakes, but for all that, it is a powerful constric- 
tor. It lays eggs, and feeds upon birds, small 
rodents, and eggs. In devouring eggs it has a 
very odd but intelligent trick. It swallows an egg 
whole, and after it has passed a few inches down 
the throat, where it forms a large swelling, the 
serpent lifts its head, elevates its back, and exerts 
downward pressure directly upon the egg until 
the shell breaks! 
A striking peculiarity of the Pine-Snake is 
found in the structure of its epiglottis, first ob- 
served and described by Dr. C. A. White, by 
means of which the hiss of this creature is so 
loud and so well sustained that it is like the hiss 
of red-hot iron in water. The maximum length 
of this snake is about 7+ feet. Its ground-color 
is whitish, the head is spotted with black, and 
along the back there is a series of about twenty- 
four very large brown patches, margined with 
black. Sometimes these blotches of color take 
shape as bands. The abdomen is dull yellow, 
with blackish-brown patches. 
The Black-Snake of the East is a serpent of 
narrow form, but wide distribution. Westward 
it changes color, and is known at first as the Blue 
Racer, and then as the Green Racer. Although 
its Latin name is Za-me'nis con-stric'tor, it is 
not a constrictor, it is badly misnamed, it is per- 
fectly harmless to man, and its bite is never more 
than a mere scratch. It is very cowardly, and 
3 Pit-y-o'phis me-lan-o-leu'cus. 
