TIIJBTY YEAK9 A HUNTER. 195 



which ho laid upon the limb of a small tree, eight 

 feet from the ground. In a short time its mate 

 crawled up to the limb and remained by its side fur 

 three days. After the middle of August they dis- 

 perse and retire to their holes. I do not think, 

 as many do, that they live together in dens, during 

 the winter, but that each one finds quarters for itself, 

 where it remains singly, until spring. While dig- 

 ging for a mill-pit in January, I found a snake two 

 feet below the surface. It appeared to be frozen, 

 but upon taking it near the fire it soon revived. 

 They have been found under rocks and in other 

 places, not more than a foot from the surface. They 

 are always found lying perfectly straight, and as it 

 is not probable that they emerge tail first from their 

 holes, they must dig another hole to come out of. 

 The rattle-snake moves very slowly, sometimes con 

 suniing a month in going a mile or two to the water. 

 They sometimes lie upon the surface of the water 

 and float some distance. Wben in the water they 

 become bloated, but soon recover their natural size, 

 after leaving the water. Besides rattlesnakes, the 

 country east of the Allegany mountains was infested 

 by copperheads, blowing vipers, black-snakes, racers 

 and hoop, or horn-snakes. The copperheads were 

 not as numerous as the rattle-snakes, but are much 

 more venomous and spiteful, striking at every thing 

 that comes within their reach. The blowing viper is 

 so named from its emitting a hissing like that pro- 

 duced by the blowing of a goose. It is larger than 

 tho. orvouerhead, but not as venomous, being more so 



