315 



CHAPTEK XVII. 



AMERICAN SNAKES. 



THE RATTLESNAKE — CEOTAiUS. 



Description. — General colour greyish, with a number of 

 lozenge-shaped black markings, edged with yelloA\dsh white 

 upon the back ; the tip of the tail black ; the belly yellowish 

 white ; at the extreme end of the tail a number of horny 

 rings, or rattles, increasing in number, as is supposed, with 

 the age of the reptile. 



Length. — They are frequently found over six feet in length. 



LUCKY is it for the backwoods' hunter that there 

 are but few species of this venomous genus, and 

 that they are all provided with the rattles, from which 

 they take their name, and with which they give a 

 timely warning to the intruder who may venture too 

 near their haunts. The poison of the rattlesnake is 

 extremely virulent; more so in the hot parts of 

 America than naturalists, who have only seen the 

 reptile in this cold land, can at all realise. 



This warning sound has saved many lives : and sta- 

 tistics will go far to prove that, in spite of all our 



