196 



snake dens in this State. No doubt ic aders know of many, and we 

 shall be j^lad to correspond with them upon the subject. 



While most reports record the Battle Snakes and Copperheads 

 as being nocturnal in their habits, we must regard them more as 

 also diurnal or moving about and feeding in the day time rather 

 than at night. Their food as shown in the table following would 

 likewise indicate this. When it comes time for winter hibernation 

 they go into holes in the ground, crevices in caves or hollow logs 

 and become dormant as do other serpents. Both species of the 

 Kattle Snake and also the Copperhead are ovoviviparous or bring 

 forth living young and bear only a few in a brood, and but one brood 

 per 3'ear. There are from nine to twelve in each brood and are gen- 

 erally born in the early part of September. Early in the season 

 the eggs are plainly visible in the female when she is cut open 

 and this gives foundation to the report that the Rattle Snakes 

 lay eggs. It should be remembered that in these eggs are the 

 developing embryo which continue developing until the yolk is 

 absorbed and the very thin membrane which can not be called an 

 egg shell, contains the embryonic Rattler plainly seen within. See 

 Plate XLI. 



Fig. 23. — Diugiuni whnv. iny Uiu percenitages of 

 Food Items of Rattle Snake (C rot a tits hoiridm): 

 "ilVz per cent. Field Mice; 18% per cent. Undeter- 

 mined Mammals; 6 per cent. Snakes; 6 per cent. 

 Rabbits; 6 per cent. Red Squirrels; 6 per cent. 

 Mice; 6 per cent. Common Rats; 7 per cent. Un- 

 determined Mice; 7 per cent. Jumping- Mice. 



Ill lil('i;ilure the Rattle Snakes are reported as feeding on rats, 

 mice and rabbits (Ilolbrook, Morse and Stejneger), and sciuirrels 



