Name for various serpents of long slender form like a whip-lash, as Masticophis flagelliformis of N. America, Philodryas viridissimus of Brazil, Hoplocephalus flagellum of Australia.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), VII. 203. In the tropical climates, the rattle-snake, the whip-snake, and the cobra di capello, are the most formidable.
1813. J. Forbes, Oriental Mem., I. 199. The Concan abounds with serpents…: one of the most dangerous is a long snake of a beautiful green; in form resembling the lash of a coach-whip, from whence it is called the whip-snake.
1825. Waterton, Wand. S. Amer., I. (1903), 9. The whipsnake, of a beautiful changing green,… may be handled with safety.
1881. Mrs. Praed, Policy & Passion, xx. A whip-snake, whose shelter had been rudely disturbed, reared itself upon its lithe body, and made a dart at Barrington’s arm.
1898. E. D. Cope, Crocodil., etc. N. Amer. (1900), 789. The species of this genus [sc. Zamenis] are elongate in form and active in movement, so that the popular names of ‘whip-snake’ and ‘racer’ are appropriate.
