Scarlet Snake

Cemophora coccinea, (Blumenbach)

Colouration: Wide scarlet blotches, separated by pairs of black half-rings, the latter enclosing a yellow half-ring about three scales wide. The scales in the yellow band are usually tipped or dotted with black. Abdomen immaculate white or yellow. Top of the head red or orange, with a black bar across the eyes.
Dimensions: The writer's largest example is 25 inches long and one-half of an inch in diameter at the thickest part of the body. It was captured near Micco, Florida, and easily swallowed full-grown mice; this is considerably over the average size, which is given:
Distribution: The southeastern United States; South Carolina (inclusive) throughout Florida and westward to the Mississippi River. Most abundant in the low, coastal region.
Habits: The handsome little Scarlet Snake resembles the King Snakes in habits, feeding upon such small creatures as the ground lizard (Lygosoma), the "blue-tail" (Eumeces), the brown snake (Haldea) and the young of the ring-necked snake, (Diadophis), besides the young of wild mice. The writer has collected numbers of these reptiles under the bark of fallen and decaying trees. In such conditions, when disclosed, their brilliant colours are in startling contrast to the sombre hues of the damp wood. The species appears to be very secretive and to pass most of the time burrowing its way with the aid of the sharp snout in a search for the prey. Owing to the prevalence of insect larvae in the hiding places, it seems probably that the young snakes feed upon such.

Also called Coral Snake. It is one of the species that "mimics" the poisonous Coral Snake (Elaps).

Size small; body moderately slender and very cylindrical--not tapering until near the head and tail; head not distinct. Snout pointed and projecting; eye small. One or two preocular plates.

If the snake is examined from directly above, the pattern seems to be composed of wide crimson or scarlet rings, separated by pairs of black ones, the latter enclosing an equal-sized ring of yellow. It is this ringed aspect that causes the species to look like the Coral Snake and the Scarlet King Snake (Ophibolus doliatus coccineus), but the poisonous snake (Elaps) has broad scarlet rings and equal-sized rings of black, while the yellow is very narrow--barely a scale--and borders the black; moreover, when we speak of rings, it should be understood that the colours completely encircle the body. The Scarlet King Snake (Ophibolus) is exactly like Cemophora above, but the former is ringed with the colours. Examined from the side, the Scarlet Snake might elicit a description, thus: Large scarlet blotches broadly bordered with black, and separated by bands of yellow. (Young specimens have milk-white bands, separating the black bands or half-rings.)

Total Length . . . . . 16 inches.

Length of Tail . . . . . 2 1/2 inches.

Greatest Diameter . . . . . 1/4 inches.

Width of Head . . . . . 5/16 inches.

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

A specimen in the writer's collection displayed interesting habits. When handled, it never showed a disposition to bite, which mild nature has been noted with the species generally. Most of its time was spent under a strip of bark, but when a very young mouse was placed in the case, the snake would glide rapidly for it, seizing the rodent with a dart of the head and then coil tightly about the animal, showing the species, although diminutive in size, to be a typical constrictor. On the 23d of June, this specimen deposited eight eggs; they were white and elongated, and covered with a soft, smooth integument. The snake appeared to take an interest in them and coiled always nearby, or around them, a proceeding quite unnecessary from the standpoint of space within the box, as the strip of bark, under which the snake was in the habit of hiding, was over a foot in length. Three weeks after the eggs were laid, one of them was opened to ascertain the process of development; it contained a well-formed embryo, which would have emerged within two weeks' time. A week later, on lifting the bark to examine the snake and her eggs, the creature was found much distorted, having swallowed the remaining seven, which she fully digested within a few days. This remarkable instance of cannibalism was quite inexcusable, as the reptile had been fed at regular intervals.

The Genus Rhinochilus: Several species are recognised; one is found in the United States. Among colubrine serpents, these snakes are remarkable by the formation of the plates under the tail; these are usually entire, in place of being divided; the ventral plate is entire. Rostral plate sharp and somewhat protruding; flattened on its under surface. Body moderately stout; head slightly distinct.