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Banded Water Snake
Colouration.—Owing to considerable variation among specimens of this species, the pattern is rather difficult to describe. It consists of dark bands of moderate width, crossing a pale, brownish ground-colour, which tends to evince a bright shade of red upon the sides. The outlines of the bands on many specimens, however, are ill-defined upon the back, and with such there is the appearance of a dark brown or blackish snake, with oblong or triangular patches of bright red or yellowish-brown upon the sides-which light colour represents the ground-colour between the bands. Extending across the back are a series of narrow, yellowish bands--these represent the interspaces of ground-colour between the darker markings composing the pattern. The abdomen is yellowish-white, with numerous bright red blotches and clouded spots of black and gray.
Dimensions.—The Banded Water Snake is one of the larger species of the genus, often attaining a length of four feet. The figures given, of an adult specimen from Hampton County, South Carolina, represent an average size:
Distribution.—The range of this, the typical form, is from Virginia to the Gulf of Mexico, including the state of Florida where it is very common, thence extending westward to Texas.
Habits.—In habits the various species of banded water snakes are very similar. They never leave the immediate vinicity of water and are characteristic from their habit of resting on the branches of bushes and low trees that overhang the water, into which they quickly plunge when alarmed. If disturbed while upon the bank of a stream and some feet from the water, they almost invariably take to the latter for shelter, even though surrounding shrubbery or rocks offer a safe retreat; diving to the bottom they remain for some time, to finally reappear at some distance from the former spot.
Size large; body very stout. The head is rather flat, and distinct from the neck. The scales of the body are heavily keeled, imparting a dull, lustreless surface.
It is with young or half-grown specimens that the pattern may be distinctly seen. It will, on such, be observed to consist of wavy bands, crossing a pale ground-colour, for nearly the entire length of the body. These bands are considerably wider on the back than upon the sides, thus leaving but a narrow and generally wavy line of the paler hue between them, while on the sides, where they narrow, the interspaces are nearly as wide as the bands themselves. This arrangement explains the peculiar marking of the adult snakes, on which the novice might be led to mistake the general dark hue produced by the obscure bands for the ground colour, and the bright reddish interspaces on the sides, for the markings. Very old specimens are almost uniform black or brown above, but always show the brilliant red blotches upon the abdomen.
Variations. several distinct and constant varieties occur, descriptions of which follow that of the typical form. Few serpents evince more variability in colouration than the present species. The width of the bands vary considerably, as does also the ground-colour. In a large series before the writer are the following phases:
a. Black, with brick-red bars upon the sides. South Carolina.
b. " " yellow " " " "
c. Black, with distinct, narrow bars of brown crossing the back. But faint markings on side.
d. Black, with reddish bars on sides, and yellowish, narrow bands across the back. " "
e. Yellowish-brown, with chestnut-brown bands crossing the body--all bands distinct. Florida.
f. Pale green, with jet-black cross bands--representing the most showy specimen of the species the writer has ever examined. "
On young specimens the pattern fades rapidly during their second summer.
Head, markings.--The head markings of adults are fairly constant. The top of the head is dark; there is a yellow band running from behind the eye to the angle of the jaw. The lip plates (labials) are yellow, with dark borders. Rather in contrast to the dull surface of the body, caused by the coarsely keeled scales, are the smooth head-shields, which are highly polished.
As this snake is frequently confused with the poisonous Moccasin, with which it associates in the Southern swamps, a few words concerning the distinction between these reptiles, may not be amiss. The harmless water snake is more slender than the poisonous reptile, and may be told at once by the red spots on the abdomen; the undersurface of the poisonous snake is straw-colour, with black or gray spots on younger individuals, but indications of red spots are never present. Another important distinction appeals to the arrangement of the plates under the tail. With the harmless reptile these plates are arranged in two rows, from the base of the tail to the tip. With the venomous reptile, the plates are in a single row, for nearly two-thirds the length of the tail, while the remaining third to the tip shows a double row. (Illustration; Tails). Moreover the poisonous snake possesses a large-pit between the eye and the nostril which is not present with any of the innocuous water snakes. It is useful for the student to have a thorough knowledge of these structural differences, for by them, the dangerous "cotton-mouth" may at once be told from the several species of harmless aquatic snakes of the South that appeal to it in colouration and form. (Illustration; Heads).