Catesby, Mark. Vol.II, Tab. 60, The Bead-Snake, The Virginian Potato

Mark Catesby The Bead-Snake, The Virginian Potato, Vol.II, Tab. 60 Etching with hand color 14" x 19" sheet From Volume II, Part 8 of Catesby's Natural History of Carolina, Florida & the Bahama Islands London: 1737 - 1771 Currently known as the scarletsnake, Cemophora coccinea and sweet potato, Ipomoea hatatas*, Catesby described these subjects as follows: ANGUIS niger, maculis rubris & luteis eleganter varius. The Bead Snake. These Snakes are usually about the Size of the Figure,some less, and some I have seen three or four Times as big. The ground Colour of them is black, deeper on the Back and fainter under the Belly: The upper Part of the Body is adorned with large Spots of a bright red Colour, between which, at regular Distances are yellow Spots. They live mostly under Ground, and are seldom seen above, but are frequently found and dug up with Potatoes, at the Time those Roots are taken out of the Ground, which is in September and October. They have nothing of a Viper, eith