214 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



often turn and from a crawling position draw back the 

 head by contracting the neck into an S-shaped loop, and 

 strike readily." 



The Timber Rattlesnake feeds on warm blooded ani- 

 mals, such as small rabbits, squirrels, rats, mice, and birds. 

 Into the cage containing a large specimen I introduced 

 a young cat, which the snake struck almost immediately. 

 In about fifteen minutes the cat was dead, but was not 

 touched by the snake for a whole day. In this time putri- 

 fication had set in, but on the morning of the second day 

 the cat had disappeared. The Timber Rattler is ovovivi- 

 parous, bearing from nine to twelve young, which are 

 about 300 mm. long. The young are provided with thq 

 button, representing the future rattle. 



Dates of capture. — April 4, 26 ; May 18 ; October 1, 16 ; 

 November 20. 



The Rattle. 



''A persistent and popular idea is to the effect that the 

 age of a snake may be told by counting the rings or seg- 

 ments of the rattle. With the majority of specimens such 

 calculation is impossible. According to the popular and 

 incorrect opinion, the snake acquires a new joint or ring 

 of the rattle every year, and if one desires to ascertain 

 the age of the reptile it is simply necessary to count the 

 number of rings composing the rattle, and, by allowing a 

 year for each ring, the age of the serpent is known, but 

 this theory is wholly incorrect and very misleading. 



"In the first place, the rattlesnake acquires from two 

 to three rings of the rattle each year. The rattle seldom 

 attains a length of more than ten to thirteen rings as when 

 that number has been acquired the vibration at the tip, 

 when the organ is used, is so pronounced that additional 

 segments are soon worn, broken and lost. 



''When the young Rattlesnake is born, it is provided 

 with a soft button on the tip of the tail. Within a few 



