1868.] 179 [Allen. 



7. Crotalus Durissus Linn. (Storer's Kep., p. 233.) Banded 

 Rattlesnake. Not unfrequent on Mount Tom, and occasionally killed 

 on rocky hills in several of the towns near or adjoining Springfield. 

 It also occurs at a few similar localities in the eastern part of the 

 State. 



8. AnciStrodon COntortrix Baird and Girard. (Trigonocepha- 

 lus contortrlx Holhr.) "Copperhead." "Viper." "Deaf Adder." There 

 is a well-known den of this species on Mount Tom, near which a 

 considerable number of specimens are annually killed by different 

 individuals. I have not heard of it elsewhere in the State, though 

 Linsley has reported it from Connecticut. Fi'om Mr. C. W. Bennett, 

 than whom no one is more familiar with Mount Tom and the con- 

 tiguous country, or the peculiarities of its natural history, I learn 

 the following interesting facts respecting it. Of five specimens 

 killed July 4th (several years since), all were females, but no em- 

 bryos were observed in them. They were all found in a heap. 

 At another time, later in July, seven were killed, which, like the 

 others, were all found lying within the space of a square yard 

 and were all females. Five of them were examined by Mr. Ben- 

 nett, and found to contain slightly developed embryos. August 23d, 

 Mr. Bennett secured two females, which I saw at his house. One 

 of them was badly crushed in killing; this, on being dissected, was 

 found to contain five young, about six inches in length, but still quite 

 immature; the other was sent in alcohol to Prof. Agassiz. In Sep- 

 tember, probably early in the month (the exact date was not noted), 

 six specimens, all females, and all found in a heap, were killed, 

 each of which had either seven or nine young (he has forgotten which 

 number), about six inches in length, in the ovary. From the above 

 facts it appears that the species is viviparous; that the young are 

 few in number, and are brought forth late in the season; and that 

 the pregnant females collect together. The number of embryos found 

 by Mr. Bennett varied from five to seven, though he is not sure but 

 the greatest number may have been nine. 



Though not given in Dr. Smith's Catalogue, nor in Dr. Storer's 

 valuable Report, Dr. Hoi brook (North Am. Herp., Ill, p. 40) men- 

 tions having received it from Western New England, while Dr. De 

 Kay, writing a little later, more expressly states: *' Dr. Holbrook, 

 however, has seen it in the neighborhood of Northampton, Massachu- 



