Red-bellied Snake

Farancia abacura, (Holbrook)

Also called: the Rainbow Snake, Mud Snake, Horn Snake and Hoop Snake.

Colouration: Purplish-black above, with large, vermilion, inverted V-shaped blotches on the sides. Abdomen rich vermilion with numerous black patches.
Dimensions: The Red-bellied Snake attains a maximum length of six feet. Following are the measurements of an adult of average size:
Distribution: North Carolina, southward throughout Florida and westward to Louisiana (inclusive). In the Mississippi Valley the species has been found as far north as southern Indiana. It is most abundant in the Gulf States.
Habits: A burrowing animal, usually found in swampy stretches of timber, hiding under fallen and decaying tree trunks. Concerning the habits, Prof. E. D. Cope has written: "The Pamunkey River specimens were dug from a clay bank beneath ten feet of sand. Mr. Clarence B. Moore in his excavations of the Indian mounds of Florida, has dug it from nearly as great a depth beneath the surface, in sand."
Distribution: New England to Florida; westward to Kansas.
Distribution: Southwestern U.S. and Mexico.
Distribution: Nevada and Arizona.
Distribution: Arizona; Lower California.
Distribution: South Carolina to Florida; westward to Mississippi.
Distribution: Western Texas to California.

Proportions like the preceding.

The striking colouration and glassy surface of the scales, cause this animal to be very distinct. On young examples the red patches extend further up the sides, and there are indications of red on the back, in the shape of narrow cross-bands.

The sides of the head of the adult are reddish, with a row of large, black spots extending along the upper lip plates (superior labials).

Total Length . . . . . 49 inches.

Length of Tail . . . . . 6 1/4 inches.

Greatest Diameter . . . . . 1 1/2 inches.

Width of Head . . . . . 1 1/8 inches.

Length of Head . . . . . 1 1/2 inches.

Closely related to the Rainbow Snake, it resembles that serpent in habits so far as they are known. Very young specimens will eat earthworms. The writer has never succeeded in inducing mature examples to feed. They are indifferent to handling and shows no signs of temper beyond nervously twisting from side to side or coiling the tail about one's wrist. On the tail is a needle-like spine, so short as to be barely noticeable. This will often slightly wound the skin and is alleged by the negroes to be a "sting." When a specimen is replaced in its cage, it immediately burrows into the sand or moss and while taking no sustenance but an occasional drink, will live and continue vigorous for six or eight months. While degenerate in form--the eyes being small, dull, and poorly developed--and essentially fitted for a subterraneous life, this snake is quite active and can glide over the ground with some speed and grace. It also swims and dives with considerable agility. The tongue is proportionately small and its movements are slow as compared with the quivering flash of that organ to be noted with the majority of snakes.

The species is oviparous--laying from two to four dozen bluntly oval, yellowish-white eggs, with a perfectly smooth integument.

The Genera CARPHOPHIS, FICIMIA, CHILOMENISCUS,

CEMOPHORA and RHINOCHILUS--Small, Burrowing

Species, with Smooth Scales

FOLLOWING the rather miscellaneous smooth-scaled serpents of the preceding chapters, the writer is able to group several genera, and in fairly regular arrangement, under the title of the Sharp-nosed Snakes; all of these have smooth scales. As most of the species to be described are persistent burrowers, the snout is either conical, or much depressed and with a sharp edge-hence a striking characteristic that may be immediately understood by the beginner.

Key to the Sharp-nosed Snakes

A. Size small. Plates under the tail divided.

a. Ventral plate divided.

1. Colouration uniform-no rings or blotches.

Head very small and sharply conical; no preocular

plate-loreal touching eye; one postocular plate.

Scales in 13 rows. Genus Carphophis.

Brown above; pink beneath.

WORM SNAKE, C. amoenus.

2. Colouration in transverse blotches or half-rings, red forming one of the colours.

Head slightly distinct; snout very sharp and conical--slightly upturned; rear border of the rostral extended barkward on head. No loreal plate. One preocular plate. Scales in 17 rows. Genus Ficima.

Reddish or orange, with brown, black-edged crossbands, breaking into spots on sides. Abdomen yellowish. DOG-NOSED SNAKE, F. cana.

Head not distinct; snout, as seen from side, very sharp--appears rounded, from above. No loreal plate.

One preocular plate. Scales in 13 rows.

Genus Chilomeniscus.

Red or orange; broad black cross-bands, terminating near abdominal plates; tail ringed with black.