6 4 
which it belongs, has the centre of its distribution in the 
tropical zone, throughout the whole circle of the earth, and in¬ 
cludes some of the most deadly forms known. 
The Rainbow Snake (. Abastor erythrogrammus ), Southern 
States. 
The King Snake (Ophibolusgetulus), Atlantic coast. 
The Chain Snake ( Ophibolus doliatus triangulus ), Western 
States. 
The Green Snake (Cyclophis vernalis), Eastern and South¬ 
ern States. 
The Pine Snake ( Pityophis menanoleucus) , south of New 
Jersey and Ohio. 
The Chicken Snake ( Coluber quadrivittatus ), Southern 
States. 
The Mountain Black Snake (Coluber obsoletus), United 
States. 
The Milk Snake ( Coluber obsoletus confinis ), Western 
States. 
Fox’s Black Snake ( Coluber vulpinus ), Western States. 
The Corn Snake (Coluberguttatus), Southern States. 
The Black Snake (Bascanion constrictor ), United States. 
The Whip Snake (Bascanion flagelliforme ), Southern 
States. 
The Ribbon Snake (Eutcenia saurita ), Eastern and South¬ 
ern States. 
The Garter Snake (Eutcenia sirtalis ), North America. 
The Water Snake (Tropidonotus fasciatus ), Southern 
States. 
The Water Snake (Tropido?iotus sipedon ), Eastern and 
Southern States. 
The Hog-nosed Snake or Spreading Adder (Heterodon 
platyrhinos ), United States, east of Mississippi. 
' 
These serpents, with a number of others which are usually 
comprised in the collection, belong to what may be termed the 
Colubrine group. They are perfectly harmless to man, living 
on small birds, quadrupeds, worms, and insects; several 
genera— Ophibolus and Abastor —eating small snakes of their 
own and other species. 
The boas are a group of serpents inhabiting the tropical 
zone and attaining the largest size of any known members of 
