Gray Coluber

Coluber obsoletus, variety confinis, (B. & G.)

Colouration.—Pale gray, with a series of large, dark brown saddles on the back; on the neck these blotches are long and send out narrow extensions from their corners, thus assuming an H-shaped formation. On each side of the body is a series of smaller blotches, and beneath this another, smaller series--at the edges of the abdominal plates.

Dimensions.—Total Length . . . . . 4 feet, 9 1/2 inches.

Distribution.—The variety occurs from Virginia to Florida (inclusive) in the East and is quite common in North and South Carolina. It extends westward to the eastern boundary of Kansas and occurs in Arkansas and eastern Texas.

Habits.—Like the Pilot Blacksnake.

Colouration.—Bright yellow, pale brown or olive, with four dark brown or black stripes-two on the back and one on each side of the body.

Dimensions.—Adult specimens are quite variable in size. The writer has had many specimens under four feet long that laid fertile eggs. He has also examined specimens considerably over five feet in length. Following are the measurements of the average adult:

Distribution.—The southeastern United States, from eastern North Carolina southward throughout Florida, and westward, in the South, to the Mississippi. The majority of specimens are found in the coastal region, and the variety is particularly abundant in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The largest specimens come from Florida.

Colouration.—Pale brown or reddish-yellow above, with a central series of transverse brown spots, eight to nine scales wide and edged with darker brown or black; two alternating series of smaller spots on each side, the lower one indistinct; abdomen immaculate white or yellow.

Dimensions.—A large specimen is about three and a half feet long; the tail of such an example would be about six inches in length.

Distribution.—Central Texas to southern California; northern Mexico.

Size and conformation like the typical form. This variety represents a phase on which the markings of the young are retained with maturity.

On the back and the sides, numerous scales show white edges when the skin is distended, as seen on the typical form-the Pilot Blacksnake. The head is gray, dotted with black. There is often a dark band in front of the eyes and usually a wide, dark band from behind each eye to the angle of the mouth. The lip plates are white, bordered with black. The eye is silvery.

On the forward portion of the body the abdomen is white irregularly blotched and peppered with gray; on the latter portion the abdomen is uniform, dark gray.

Length of Tail . . . . . 11 inches.

Greatest Diameter . . . . . 1 1/8 inches.

Width of Head . . . . . 1 inches.

Length of Head . . . . . 1 3/4 inches.

THE FOUR-BANDED COLUBER; BANDED CHICKEN SNAKE; YELLOW CHICKEN SNAKE; YELLOW RAT SNAKE; STRIPED HOUSE SNAKE

Coluber obsoletus, variety quadrivittatus, (Holbrook)

This snake attains a length of six and seven feet, but its body is more slender than that of the typical form.

The stripes on the sides are usually the width of two rows of scales; those on the back slightly wider than the one row of scales they cover.

The preceding description appeals only to the adult snake. With the young Four-banded Coluber, we have an admirable example of one of a number of species of serpents that undergo a complete colour transformation while attaining maturity.

Upon hatching, a snake of this variety exhibits a vivid pattern, and like that of the adult of the Gray Coluber-Coluber obsoletus, variety confinis. From this pale gray phase, with dark brown blotches it gradually transforms into a yellow snake, with longitudinal stripes.

Growth and Colour Transition.-One of a freshly deposited batch of eggs from a snake of this kind measures 1 1/4 inches in length, and 7/8 of an inch in diameter. It weighs exactly 1 dram and 47 grains. (Fig. Batch of Eggs, with rule.) Before hatching, about six weeks later, the eggs have increased a third in size and weight, owing to the constant absorption of moisture during the growth of the embryo. When the eggs are deposited they contain an almost thread-like embryo, coiled like the hairspring of a watch and with an enormous head-in comparison to the thin body. The little creature is soft, almost jelly-like and devoid of all signs of life. On opening one of the eggs about three weeks after deposition, the young snake is found to be rapidly developing and well-formed; it is white and with large, lumpy head. At this time the scales of the body may be clearly seen. The body is translucent and the heart and larger blood vessels are vividly apparent, the former beating steadily. The young snake displays traces of life by occasional twitchings of the body. If kept moist, it will live for about half an hour after being removed from the egg.