REMARKS ON SOME FLORIDA SNAKES. 



125 



in the act of striking the snake coils and usually rattles, but it does 

 not always do so. 



Its manner of striking is described by S. Weir Mitchell (who has 

 made a most careful study of the species), as follows : — 



" The snake throws himself into a spiral, and about one third of 

 his length, carrying the head, rises from the coil, and stands up- 



RATTLESNAKE ABOUT TO STRIKE. 



right ; then his head and neck are thrown far back, his mouth is 

 opened wide, the fangs held firmly erect. The blow is a stab, 

 and is given by throwing the head forward, while the half coils 

 below it are straightened out. As the fangs enter, the tem- 

 poral muscles close the lower jaw on the part struck and force 

 the sharp fangs deeper in. At this moment the poison duct is 

 opened by the relaxation of the muscle which surrounds it, and 

 the same muscle which shuts the jaw squeezes the poison gland 

 and drives the venom through the duct and hollow fang into the 

 bitten part." 



