26 CROTALOPHORUS MILIARIUS. 



Crotalus miliarius, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. Lin., vol. i. part iii. p. lOSO. 

 Crotalus miliarius, Latreille, Hist. Nat. Rept., torn. iii. p. 203. 

 Crotalus miliarius, Daitdin, Hist. Nat. des Rept., torn. v. p. 32S. 

 Crotalus miliarius, Merrem, Versuch eines Syst. der Ampliib., p. 156. 

 Crotalus miliarius, Harlan, Med. and Phys. Res., p. 134. 

 Caudisona miliarius, JVagler, Nat. Syst. der Amphib., p. 170. 

 Ground Rattlesnake, Vulgo. 



Description. The head is very large, triangular, broad behind, and truncate 

 at the snout; covered with plates in front, and on the vertex to behind the eyes. 

 The vertical plate is pentagonal, broadest in front, pointed behind; the superior 

 orbital is oval, most extensive in the antero-posterior direction, with its outer 

 margin projecting greatly over the eye. The occipital plates are rhomboidal; 

 behind these the head is covered with small scales. The frontal plates are 

 pentagonal, broadest externally; the anterior frontal are trigonal, with their bases 

 outwards and forwards; the two nasal plates are quadrilateral and nearly of the 

 same size, the one hollowed on its posterior, the other on its anterior border, to 

 form the nostril. There are two posterior orbital plates quadrilateral; and two 

 inferior, of which the posterior is very long and narrow. The anterior orbital are 

 two in number, the inferior of which makes the upper wall of a deep pit, that 

 exists midway between the nostril and eye, but on a lower plane; the inferior 

 margin is completed by two other plates. The upper jaw is covered with twelve 

 labial plates. 



The nostrils are large and very near the snout, but lateral; the eyes are large, 

 the pupil black, oval and vertical; the upper half of the iris is of the brightest 

 yellow, and the lower half black. The mouth is large, the jaws strong, the upper 

 furnished with poisonous fangs. The neck is greatly contracted, and covered 

 Avith small carinated scales. The body is elongated, but thick in proportion, 

 even to the tail, w here it becomes suddenly contracted, and is covered with ovato- 

 lanceolate, carinated scales above, the lowest row is ecariuate. The tail is short, 

 conical, and sustains an uncertain numbei'^ of rattles, not as well developed as in 

 Crotalus. 



