THE VIPERS 



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from the 45th parallel of north latitude to the extreme south of the Eastern United 

 States. Its favorite haunts are damp situations, more especially shady meadows 

 covered with tall grass; and its food consists of mice, birds, and probably frogs. 

 From its abundance and comparatively rapid movements, as well as from its lack- 

 ing the warning sound of the rattle, the copperhead is even more dreaded than the 

 rattlesnake. 



Another well-known North- American representative of the genus 

 that must come in for a brief share of attention is the water viper (A. 

 pistivorus}, which inhabits marshes, rivers, and lakes, and attains a length of 

 nearly five feet. From the preceding species it may be distinguished by the pres- 



Water Viper 



CLIMBING PIT VIPER. 

 (One-half natural size.) 



ence of two small smooth supplemental shields behind the parietals, and of numer- 

 ous small scales between the hinder frontal and temporal shields. The color is very 

 variable; but in the majority of specimens, on a shining greenish gray ground, 

 there are a larger or smaller number of dark bands somewhat similar to those of the 

 copperhead. Always found in the neighborhood of water, this snake extends 

 southward from North Carolina over the whole of North America and westward as 

 far as the Rocky mountains. Feeding chiefly upon fish and frogs, it will also de- 

 vour all animals that may happen to fall into the water and are not too large for its 

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