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Western Hog-nosed Snake
Colouration.—By one character, the present species may at once be recognised from the closely allied H. simus. That is presence of a wide area of black, covering the central portion of the abdomen. The back is pale brown or yellowish, with a series of closely set, darker blotches on the back, and two rows of smaller, alternating blotches on the sides.
Dimensions.—Following are the measurements of a large specimen, from western Texas:
Distribution.—Western United States and northern Mexico. The general range is extensive including Montana in the North, and the Dakotas. Eastward, the species ranges into Arkansas and westward into Arizona, thence into Sonora, Mexico. It does not occur in the Pacific region.
Habits.—The species is of less excitable disposition than the Eastern Hog-nosed Snakes. It can never be induced to bite, though it will sometimes bluff at doing so by striking with closed jaws at the object of annoyance. None of the writer's specimens could be induced to eat anything but toads, and of these, very small snakes would often engulf prey of extraordinary proportions as compared with the reptile's girth. Although a batrachian was often strong enough to drag the snake about with it, the toad was swallowed without what appeared to be undue exertion.
Colouration.—Pale, with darker blotches.
Distribution.—Southwestern United States; Mexico and Central America.
Distribution.—Texas, Mexico and Central America.
Distribution.—Texas, Mexico, Central and South America.
Distribution.—Southern United States from South Carolina to California; Mexico, Central America and South America.
The present species is most nearly allied to the Southern Hog-nosed Snake, though it is a larger reptile. With this snake, the characteristic snout, that so readily distinguishes species of the genus, is most strikingly developed.
The head is much paler than the body and strongly marked with bands of rich brown, arranged thus: Two bands cross the top of the head; another extends from behind the eye to the angle of the mouth, while on each temple is a wide blotch or band of the same colour. Between these blotches is a short, dark bar.
Variations.--With many specimens the scales of the sides are white, with brown centres, while the back looks decidedly yellow and velvety, with but smoky traces of the large blotches. The upper row of blotches on the sides, however, is usually distinct, as are the head markings.
Total Length . . . . . 23 1/2 inches.
Length of Tail . . . . . 2 3/4 inches.
Greatest Diameter . . . . . 7/8 inches.
Width of Head . . . . . 3/4 inches.
Length of Head . . . . . 1 1/16 inches.
CHAPTER XLI: THE OPISTHOGLYPH SNAKES OF NORTH AMERICA
A Division of Mildly Poisonous Serpents, with Grooved Fangs in the Rear of the Upper Jaw--The Many Species Occur in Both the Eastern and the Western Hemispheres
Classification and Distribution.--The Opisthoglyph snakes form a division of the family Colubridoe. From the other members they are readily separated by the presence of a pair, or several pairs of grooved teeth in the rear of the upper jaw. These snakes are divided into three sub-families, seventy-nine genera and a very large number of species. But one of the sub-families is represented in the New World--the Dipsadomorphinoe, a few species of which occur in the southern portions of the United States. There are numerous species in Mexico, Central America and tropical South America, but the greater number inhabit Asia.
General Characters.--It is the popular idea that the poisonous serpent may generally be told by its thick body and wide, triangular head, and that a few venomous species of the New World--the Coral Snakes (Elaps)--resemble the harmless serpents in outlines but may be at once distinguished by their colouration. These conclusions are incorrect. As to the inconsistency of branding a snake as poisonous because it has a broad and flat, triangular head, the student is referred to the many species of thick-bodied, harmless serpents described and illustrated in the preceding pages. In regard to the idea of the Coral Snakes forming the few exceptions where venomous snakes resemble the slender-bodied, harmless species, the succeeding pages, dealing with the Opisthoglyph serpents, will be found to explain conditions quite to the contrary.
Aside from those snakes representing in North America the sub-family Crotalinoe--the Pit Vipers, and the sub-family Elapinoe--the Coral Snakes, there are various species of poisonous serpents. This is a condition not generally understood as the Opisthoglypha has either been classed as a group comprising inoffensive species, or its members designated as "suspects" owing to the presence of elongated, grooved teeth in the rear portion of the upper jaw. It should be understood that the Opisthoglyph snakes are distinctly poisonous. The grooved teeth are poison-conducting fangs, and connect with glands in the rear portion of the head. The fangs are ordinarily employed--as is the venom apparatus of all serpents--to subdue and to kill the prey, and not to use as weapons of aggression upon mankind.