938 16. CROTALIDZ 
of Pasadena. They are, however, still common in parts of 
the San Gabriel mountains. There is scarcely anyone, suffi- 
ciently courageous, who neglects the opportunity to destroy 
a rattlesnake when the chance is afforded. So that the de- 
crease in the numbers of this reptile may be very confidently 
Jaid to direct human influence. 
“To the naturalist, rattlesnakes are very interesting mem- 
bers of our fauna, and their growing scarcity arouses regret 
within us, just as does the disappearance of the ground owl, 
road-runner and golden eagle. We wish people could be 
more sensible in regard to even the rattlesnake; and yet 
probably 99 out of 100 people would put us down as crazy 
for recommending that rattlesnakes, except in the thickly- 
settled valleys, or in the near vicinity of ranches where there 
are children, had better be left unharmed. 
“The senior author in his extended field work has en- 
countered a great many rattlesnakes but has never been bit- 
ten and has never known anyone else in his near vicinity hav- 
ing been bitten. The point here made is that the chances of 
being bitten, even when one is by occupation particularly 
exposed, are extremely remote. As to the venomous nature 
of the bite we of course cannot defend the rattler. Yet fatal 
cases are rare, and it would seem that where a sensible 
course of treatment is at once resorted to there should be 
little fear of serious results. 
“The authors of this paper spent the summer of 1906 
about the headwaters of the Santa Ana River, in the San 
Bernardino Mountains. In that locality rattlesnakes were 
remarkably common, it being not an uncommon thing to 
meet with three or four during a forenoon’s tramp along 
the canyon bottom. We saw in the neighborhood of 30 
individuals and noosed ten for preservation as specimens; 
the rest we left unharmed. Of all these none took the 
offensive until thoroughly aroused, as when cornered and 
