New York, January 2">, 1915. No. 14 



ope! 



Published to advance the Science of cold-blooded vertebrates 



DO SNAKES SWALLOW SMALL MAM- 

 MALS HEADS OR TAILS FIRST? 



While in the Yosemite valley, July 11-15, 1914, 

 I saw three individuals of the rattlesnake (Crotalus 

 oregonus) of that region. Two of these were seen 

 July 13, just above Nevada Falls at an elevation of 

 about 0,000 feet, on the trail to Clouds Rest. The 

 third was seen July 15, in the entrance to tiie valley 

 near Cascade Falls, elevation about 3,445 feet. The 

 first of the two seen on the way to Clouds Rest was 

 lying on some rocks at the side of the trail. It was, 

 of course, soon killed by members of our party. 



The snake was about two feet long and had seven 

 rattles and a button. A very noticeable swelling or 

 enlargement just amidships, as well as its sluggish 

 condition, suggested that it had recently swallowed an 

 animal of some kind. 



Like Kipling's Elephant's child, we were all 

 filled with "insatiable curiosity", and not being afraid 

 of being spanked, at once asked a new fine question : 

 "What did the rattler have for breakfast?" 



The obvious way to find out was to cut the rattler 

 open, which we proceeded to do. I held the snake 

 with my left hand near its head and the other abaft 

 the swelling, while Mr. C. E. Crunsky performed the 

 surgical operation, and the new fine question was 

 answered — the rattler had a fine adult Merriam Chip- 

 munk (Eutamias merriami) for its breakfast. And 

 the rattler had swallowed it tail first! The head of 



