18 



now almost entirely disappeared from some localities. In the 

 marshy sections it does not occur at all, and in the open 

 pine rejfions it is rare. Its favorite haunts are the hummocks, 

 cane-brakes and old fields. It is still very common on Avery's 

 Island. 



44. Agkistrodon piscivorus Lac Water Moccasin. 



Very abundant in lower Louisiana, especially on the prai- 

 ries and in gum swamps. In the rice fields it is dreaded by 

 the negroes, by whom it is called "Cotton-mouth," on account 

 of its peculiar habit of spreading the mouth wide open upon 

 being disturbed. Against the dark brown color of the rep- 

 tile, the pale pink mouth appears perfectly white, like an 

 open boll of cotton, 



45. Sistrurus miliarius Linn. Ground BaUlesnake. 

 Preferring dry localities for its habitat, this snake is ab- 

 sent from the swampy and marshy sections. In the pine re- 

 gions and hummocks it is fairly common, living among leaves 

 and other rubbish, and thereby escaping notice. 



46. Crotalus horridus Linn. Banded Battlesnake. 

 Throughout the pine regions, in cane-fields and old fields 



overgrown with young trees and weeds, the Cane Eattler is 

 still fairly common, but in the more thickly populated sec- 

 tions it has become rare. 



47. Crotalus adamanteus Beau V. Diamond BaUlesnake. 



This, one of the largest of the venomous snakes of the 

 western hemisphere, occurs only [according to my observa- 

 tions] in the southern portion of the Florida parishes, and 

 along the east bank of the Mississippi. I have never found 

 it west of that river, and I doubt its occurrence there. I 

 have caught several near Madisonville, St. Tammany parish, 

 in the hummocks along the margins of the gum swamps. Un- 

 like the Cane Rattler, this species is very fond of the vicinity 

 of water. Both species are in the habit of coiling themselves 

 up alongside a fallen tree, and many persons have thus nar- 

 rowly escaped stepping on the snake on the other side of the 

 log. 



Order LACERTILIA. 



Family SCINCID^. 



1, Ollgosoma iaterale Say. Ground Lizard. 



This little creature is abundant everywhere; unjustly de- 

 cried as i)oisonous and invested with the misnomer ''Scorpion." 

 3. Eumeces fasciatus Linn. Blue-tailed Lizard: Bed-headed Skink. 



