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Herpetofauna - One Life's List
Southern Black Racer Mingo Swamp, Missouri. Spring 1984. |
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 Photo by Ken Felsman
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When you meet a
five foot Black Racer in the field, several illusions are manifest - the
snake seems twice as long as it really is, and it seems to glide away twice as fast as it
really moves. Its maximum speed is 10-12 mph. In southern Illinois
they are quite common on rocky slopes, both wooded and open. Like
other members of Coluber, I encounter them in pairs more often than
not (does anyone else out there find this to be true?)
Never have I seen a black Southern Black Racer; they've always had lovely, deep blue overtones to them. They are gorgeous, and to see one gliding across a rocky hillside like some dark hell-bound train is a sight not soon forgotten. |
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