The Moccasins 



as the serpent approaches maturity. From this character young 

 snakes of the genus may be immediately recognised. 



Following is a key to the New World species, relating to 

 the pattern of the adult reptile: 



a. Pattern vivid: 



Pale brown; reddish brown cross-bands. 



COPPERHEAD SNAKE, "HIGHLAND MOCCASIN, " A. COtltortrix. 



b. Pattern obscure: 



Olive; wide, darker cross-bands. 



WATER MOCCASIN, " COTTON-MOUTH, " A. pisCtVOrUS. 



Dark brown; darker cross-bands, bordered with yellow 

 spots. MEXICAN MOCCASIN,* A. bHineatus. 



Detailed descriptions of the species follow: 



THE WATER MOCCASIN OR "COTTON-MOUTH" SNAKE 

 Ancistrodon piscivorus, (Lac^pede) 



Size large; form very stout. The head is very distinct 

 from the neck. Scales of the body strongly keeled. On the 

 under portion of the tail, for about the first two-thirds of its 

 length, the plates are in one row; the remaining third is provided 

 with two rows of plates, arranged as with the harmless snakes. 



Colouration. — Dull olive or brownish above and paler on the 

 sides, on which are indistinct, wide, blackish bands; these bands 

 enclose areas of the ground-colour and dark blotches. 



The upper lip plates are yellow, above which colour is a 

 dark band from the eye to the angle of the mouth and above 

 this a pale streak. The top of the head is very dark, usually 

 black. The chin and lower lips are yellow with three dark bars 

 on the lip plates, on each side of the mouth. 



Abdomen yellow, blotched with dark brown or black — 

 more so toward the tail, the under portion of which is black. 



Variations of colour. — Young specimens are brilliantly 

 coloured. They are usuall}' of a pale reddish-brown, with bands 

 of rich, dark brown. All of the bands and markings are narrowly 

 edged with white, making the pattern vivid and striking. 



Half-grown specimens are greenish, or chestnut brown, 

 with very distinct bars, while very old specimens are generally 



* Though included in the key, this species is not treated in the 

 descriptive Est. It occurs too far south to come within the scope of this 

 work. 



415 



