296 CROTALOPHORUS MILIARIUS. 
Crotalus miliarius, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. Lin., vol. i. part ili. p. 1080. 
Crotalus miliarius, Latretl/e, Hist. Nat. Rept., tom. iii. p. 203. 
Crotalus miliarius, Daudin, Hist. Nat. des Rept., tom. v. p. 328. 
Crotalus miliarius, MWerrem, Versuch eines Syst. der Amphib., p. 156. 
Crotalus miliarius, Har/an, Med. and Phys. Res., p. 134. 
Caudisona miliarius, /Vagler, Nat. Syst. der Amphib., p. 176. 
Ground Rattlesnake, Pw/go. 
Description. The head is very large, triangular, broad behind, and truncate 
at the snout; covered with plates in front, and on the vertex to behind the eyes. 
The vertical plate is pentagonal, broadest in front, pointed behind; the superior 
orbital is oval, most extensive in the antero-posterior direction, with its outer 
margin projecting greatly over the eye. The occipital plates are rhomboidal; 
behind these the head is covered with small scales. The frontal plates are 
pentagonal, broadest externally; the anterior frontal are trigonal, with their bases 
outwards and forwards; the two nasal plates are quadrilateral and nearly of the 
same size, the one hollowed on its posterior, the other on its anterior border, to 
form the nostril. ‘There are two posterior orbital plates quadrilateral; and two 
inferior, of which the posterior is very long and narrow. ‘The anterior orbital are 
two in number, the inferior of which makes the upper wall of a deep pit, that 
exists midway between the nostril and eye, but on a lower plane; the inferior 
margin is completed by two other plates. The upper jaw is covered with twelve 
labial plates. 
The nostrils are large and very near the snout, but lateral; the eyes are large, 
the pupil black, oval and vertical; the upper half of the iris is of the brightest 
yellow, and the lower half black. The mouth is large, the jaws strong, the upper 
furnished with poisonous fangs. ‘The neck is greatly contracted, and covered 
with small carinated scales. The body is elongated, but thick in proportion, 
even to the tail, where it becomes suddenly contracted, and is covered with ovato- 
lanceolate, carinated scales above, the lowest row is ecarinate. The tail is short, 
conical, and sustains an uncertain number of rattles, not as well developed as in 
Crotalus. 
