400 



REPOKT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1893. 



imitator.s (figs. 37, 38, 39, 40) may also serve to aid in the identification 

 wlien compared with figures 35 and 36 and with those of the various 

 veuomons species given farther on under the heads of the latter. 



Fig. 34. 



r.VDEIi SIDE OK TAIL OF WATER SNAKE, NATEIX. 



With living snakes the matter is more difficult. To the i)erson 

 familiar with the various kinds of snakes, their appearance and their 

 habits, there may be no special difficulty in quickly recognizing them, if 

 he gets a good view of them, but it would be useless to attempt by 



Fig. 35. Fig. 36 



HEAD OF COPPERHEAD, SHOWN FKOM TOP AND SIDE. 



(After Baird.) 



Vi'i. 37. Fig. 38. 



HEAD OF SPREADING ADDER (HETERODON), SHOWN FRO.M TOP AND SIDE. 



Fig. 39. Fig. 40. 



HEAD OF WATER SNAKE (NATEIX), SHOWN FROM TOP AND SIDE. 



description, or even by figure, to make the differences of the living 

 snakes so plain to those who have not learned to discriminate between 

 them, with the specimens in hand, that it would be of any value to him. 



