In hatchlings, the proportions of the tail are not noticeably different in males and females, but data indicate that the snakes' tails are approximately seven per cent longer in males than in females; as growth proceeds, the tails become relatively longer in proportion to the body, in both sexes. The ratio reaches its maximum in young adults, having increased from approximately 28 per cent of the snout-vent length in males and 26 per cent in females, to 31 per cent in males and a little more than 28 per cent in females. In the largest racers, of both sexes, these percentages are slightly reduced. Tail-length is subject to a fairly wide range of individual variation, which tends to obscure the trends determined by sex and size. Table 2. Relative Tail Length in Male and Female Racers of Different Size Groups =============+============================+============================ | Males | Females Snout-Vent +--------+-------------------+--------+------------------- Length in | Number | Mean ratio of | Number | Mean ratio of Millimeters | of | tail-length to | of | tail-length to | racers | snout-vent length | racers | snout-vent length -------------+--------+-------------------+--------+------------------- 150-200 | 7 | 27.3 ± .833 | 2 | 26.3 201-250 | 24 | 27.8 ± .490 | 23 | 25.9 ± .479 251-300 | 9 | 28.8 ± .634 | 4 | 26.6 301-350 | 20 | 29.8 ± .246 | 11 | 25.0 ± 1.060 351-400 | 8 | 28.8 ± .530 | 12 | 27.5 ± .404 401-450 | 6 | 27.8 ± .775 | 5 | 26.3 ± .357 451-500 | 12 | 29.7 ± .434 | 6 | 26.8 ± .858 501-550 | 45 | 30.5 ± .283 | 15 | 27.6 ± .284 551-600 | 76 | 31.0 ± .218 | 35 | 27.1 ± .254 601-650 | 45 | 29.6 ± .313 | 64 | 27.8 ± .163 651-700 | 50 | 30.5 ± .241 | 36 | 27.1 ± .350 701-750 | 72 | 30.5 ± .177 | 45 | 27.6 ± .373 751-800 | 45 | 30.3 ± .373 | 38 | 27.8 ± .325 801-850 | 48 | 29.7 ± .274 | 50 | 27.5 ± .205 851-900 | 18 | 29.1 ± .519 | 35 | 28.6 ± .422 901-950 | 5 | 29.8 ± .672 | 31 | 26.7 ± .252 951-1000 | 1 | 29.5 | 19 | 26.9 ± .390 1001-1050 | .... | ..... | 15 | 25.9 ± .413 1051-1100 | .... | ..... | 6 | 26.4 ± .725 1101-1150 | .... | ..... | 1 | 28.5 1151-1200 | .... | ..... | 1 | 25.0 -------------+--------+-------------------+--------+-------------------