The Rattlesnakes 



to be readily confused with it. The average length is from 

 three and a half to four feet. 



Colouratio7t.— The most familiar phase is that of a sulphur- 

 yellow ground-colour, with wide, dark brown or black cross- 

 bands, these usually wavy or sharply pointed in the rear — some- 

 times broken up into three series of blotches- — the larger on 

 the back in the shape of half-rhombs. The tail of such a spec- 

 imen is black. 



Another common phase is olive. On the forward portion 

 of the body are three series of dark blotches, margined with yel- 

 low; these fuse into wavy, yellow-edged cross-bands on the pos- 

 terior two-thirds of the body. 



The ground-colour varies from yellow to brown, olive or 

 black. With the black specimens the bands are not discernible. 

 These black rattlesnakes are common in the mountains of the 

 Virginias, Pennsylvania and New York, and, after freshly casting 

 their skins, have the soft, rich effect of black velvet. The writer 

 has found that the majority of the black specimens are males, 

 although among them he has found occasional females. He 

 has never among yellow individuals found a male specimen — 

 that is in the localities where the black phase is to be found. 

 The most beautiful specimens he has examined were captured 

 in the cane-brakes of South Carolina. The ground-colour was 

 a delicate shade of pink, the cross-bands jet-black; on the cen- 

 tral portion of the back, for the width of about three scales, was 

 a stripe of rusty-red. Subsequent investigations show that this 

 marked and apparently constant form occurs from North Caro- 

 lina to northern Florida, along the low, coast region, and west- 

 ward along the Gulf Coast to Louisiana. It is locally known 

 as the Cane-brake Rattlesnake. In a way, the colouration of 

 this phase appeals to western individuals, as they may be pale 

 brown or gray, and exhibit the pronounced reddish or tawny 

 stripe upon the back. 



The general pattern of this species is well illustrated in a 

 photograph taken of a specimen that has freshly shed its skin. 

 Illustrations are given of the most characteristic phases — the 

 Yellow Timber Rattlesnake, and the Black Timber Rattlesnake, 

 both from Pennsylvania. 



Dimensions. — To represent the usual size of an adult spec- 

 imen of this snake, the measurements of a Pennsylvania spec- 



442 



