5 66 



COLLEGE ZOOLOGY 



hi the swamps of the Atlantic coast south of North Caro- 

 lina, and in the Mississippi Valley from southern Illi- 



nois and Indiana 

 southward. The 

 length of an aver- 

 age specimen is 

 four feet, but a 

 length of over five 

 feet is sometimes 

 attained. The 

 moccasin is one of 

 the most poison- 

 ous of all snakes. 

 It feeds upon 

 cold-blooded ani- 

 mals such as frogs, 



I 



FIG. 463. The water-moccasin, Agkistrodon 

 piscivorus. (From Gadow.) 



and also upon 

 small birds and mammals. The young are brought forth alive. 

 The copperhead snake, Agkistrodon contortrix (Fig. 464), is 

 another very ven- 

 omous snake. Its 

 range extends from 

 southern Massa- 

 chusetts to north- 

 ern Florida and 

 west to Texas. In 

 the southern part 

 of its range the 

 copperhead prefers 

 to live on the 

 plantations, but in 

 the North it is 

 found in or near 



thick forests. An average specimen measures about two and 

 a half feet in length. 



FIG. 464. The copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix. 

 (From Gadow.) 



