THE SNAKES 349 



hensile tail as the New World smaller species of their 

 genus. 



The Rattlesnakes : The two genera of New World 

 serpents coming under this head need no general de- 

 scription, owing to a strong and unvarying character- 

 istic — the rattle. The real use of this strange ap- 

 pendage is unknown to Science, despite a fusillade of 

 theoretical assertions. That the serpent has the rattle 

 for the sole purpose of warning away its enemies is a 

 wholly fallacious and ridiculous idea. Years of care- 

 ful study of the various species of rattlesnakes have 

 tended to convince the author it would be but bold guess- 

 work to assert just what Nature has intended the snake 

 to do with the rattle. Incidentally, the appendage is 

 a warning to intruders — but many species of harmless 

 and poisonous snakes without a rattle, vibrate their tail 

 when angered. It is possible the rattle is intended as a 

 call during the breeding season : for snakes, particularly 

 the Crotaline species, are highly sensitive to vibrations. 

 Again it is possible the rattle may be employed to at- 

 tract the prey. We will not theorize, but explain what 

 we really know about this interesting organ. 



The rattle consists merely of hollow segments of dry, 

 horny skin, one loosely fitting into another. Its growth 

 is from the base of the appendage — the end of the tail 

 proper — hence the terminal joint, ring or segment of the 

 rattle is the oldest one. It is a mistake to imagine the 

 age of a snake may be told by counting each segment 

 of the rattle as a year. Each time the snake sheds its 

 skin a new ring or segment of the rattle is uncovered 

 at the end of the tail ; here it is important to explain that 

 rattlesnakes shed from two to three skins a year — that is, 

 during the warm months. At birth the snake has 



