Three specimens of poisonous snakf-s — t opporhead known locally as "chuiikliead" (Ancislrodon contortr ix) ; 

 moccasin or "cotton-mouth" (Ancislrodon piscioorus) from Cape Canaveral. Florida; and banded timber rattler 

 {Crolalus horridus) from the Wallkill-Hamburg Mountains, New Jersey. 



Of the one hundred and fifty snakes of the world whose bite could bring death to man, only seventeen are 

 native to the United States, with seldom more than two in any given district. The only successful treatment for 

 snake poison after it has entered the circulation, is iniection of antivenomous serum. Such serum is of untold 

 value in Brazil, South Africa and India. Snake-hunters can render themselves immune to snake bite for a few 

 days or weeks by precautionary injections of such serum. Dr. S. Weir Mitchell was a pioneer in the United States 

 in the study of snake venoni. Experiment is still in progress toward the production of a perfect serum. This 

 must be obtained from an animal (horse) made immune by large dosages of the mixed venom of a lai;ge 

 number of poisonous snakes, since immunity lo the bite of one species does not always insure immunity to that 

 of others. 



have taken photographs of each other as we 

 stood in the midst of four or five large rattlers 

 — some crawUng over or between our feet. 

 Yet the "stunt" was not as dangerous as 

 it might seem. It was only necessary for one 



of us to stand still while the other drove the 

 snakes toward him. The one standing was 

 merely part of the scenery according to the 

 snakes' view, and everything was serene as 

 long as we did not move while within their 



133 



