232 THE STORY OF A BIRD LOVER 



element of danger ; and here I think I must dwell 

 on the fact that most of us exaggerate in our 

 minds peril, not only from rattlesnakes, but from 

 snakes in general. I heard rattlesnakes much 

 more frequently than I saw them ; perhaps I did 

 not see more than fifteen during my whole five 

 years' stay in this region ; for by day these ser- 

 pents are sluggish, and it is at night that they 

 travel most. Their presence, too, is apparent 

 only during the warmer portions of the year ; 

 and from October until April to hear or to see 

 one was unusual. It was generally at night-time 

 that the horses were alarmed by " rattlers " crawl- 

 ing in the trail, and it was then that I frequently 

 heard them. Days and months passed by with- 

 out seeing this or any other kind of snake ; and 

 yet I suppose there are as many rattlesnakes in 

 this part of Arizona as at any place. Nor have 

 I been able to learn of an authentic case of snake- 

 bite in this territory resulting fatally. It does 

 seem that our dogs, running all over the country 

 as they did, would have suffered in this respect ; 

 but they were never bitten nor did I learn of 

 others having suffered. 



Foremost among the lizards was that famous 

 animal, the Gila monster. This is a repellent- 

 looking creature ; but again from experience I be- 

 lieve that danger from it is practically nil. This 

 lizard I saw more frequently than the rattlesnake. 



