130 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. 



OSCEOLA ELAPSOIDEA. (Holbrook). 

 CEMOPHORA COCCINEA. {Blnmenbacli). 



This last is the fellow with the pointed head, and is not uncommon 

 in some parts of Florida. 



Dr. Einar Lonneberg says,* " The bites of harmless snakes may 

 become dangerous from several reasons. 



(i) Common blood poisoning that can happen with any wound. 

 (2) Poisoning with the poison from the skin of toads, in cases of 

 bite bv species feeding on those animals, as I have often observed 

 that it is possible for some of the secretions from the poison glands in 

 the skin of the toad to remain in the mouth of the snake among the 

 teeth, especially the larger posterior maxillary teeth which inflict the 

 wound. (3) Fear that the snake is poisonous and consequent self- 

 sug<:cestion." 



We now come to the non-poisonous snakes which occur in Florida, 

 which number between twenty-five and thirty species. Many of 

 them are small and rarely seen, and the inhabitants have no local 

 name for them. Others, however, are common and are well known 

 to the natives, who call them by various names in different localities. 

 The following are a few of the better-known varieties : • — 



NATRIX FASCIATA {Linn.). 

 Water Moccasin. 



This is the common blackish-looking species so often observed 

 along the banks of the rivers and ponds. It is perfectly harmless, 

 but is often pointed out to tourists as the deadly " Cotton-Mouth." 



NATRIX TAXISPILOTA {Holbrook). 

 A large Water Moccasin, common about the lakes and rivers, 

 usually seen on floating branches of vegetation. It is not venomous. 



ABASTOR ERYTHROQRAMMUS {Daitdin). 

 Thunder Snake. 



A harmless \ ariety, apparently not common in Southern Florida. 



* Proceedings of U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XVII., p. 239 , 1891. 



