The Moccasins 



mouth, with head drawn, and disclosing the white mouth-pa-^, 

 has been responsible for the name of "cotton-mouth" snake, u^ed 

 in many parts of the South. After assuming this attitude, the 

 snake shakes its tail vigorously, not with the rapid tremble of 

 the rattlesnake, but in a slower, beating fashion, with much 

 the same rhythm as the tapping of a woodpecker against a tree. 



Several dozen Moccasins were observed during the course 

 of the morning. It was noted that when these snakes were 

 suddenly startled by our coming upon them after rounding thickets 

 of cane or the like, they drew back their heads, opened their mouths, 

 and glared in hostile fashion. Occasionally a snake would strike 

 viciously, but after the first start of surprise, all endeavoured 

 to glide away and escape. With one accord the snakes that 

 observed us when some little distance away, made for the 

 water and escaped, except for an occasional specimen that un- 

 wisely poked its head from the muddy water to see if danger 

 was past. As they were noosed and grasped by the neck, they 

 behaved like all poisonous snakes, in viciously resenting the 

 familiarity. 



Upon nearing the centre of this swamp, we found many 

 pools that had dried. These contained large quantities of dead 

 and shrivelled fish, while in the pools left by the uneven drying 

 of the stream, living fish appeared to be very rare. This scarcity 

 of food seemingly created an uneasiness among the harmless Water 

 Snakes of the swamp which were found restlessly prowling. In- 

 deed, many of them had left the swamp, and had wandered down 

 the sandy roads along its borders. The appearance of several 

 of these showy snakes on the nearby roads had primarily led 

 the writer to believe that the swamp itself contained many, hence 

 the exploration. 



The drying up of the water appeared in no way to annoy the 

 Moccasins. Some of them were found contentedly coiled on 

 the borders of pools scarcely more than a yard in diameter. 

 These latter snakes, finding it impossible to seek shelter in the 

 water, glided among the roots of trees or among the canes. It 

 was a specimen captured under such conditions that revealed, 

 possibly, the reason for the apparent contentment of the Moc- 

 casins during the lack of fish, for as we caught him he disgorged 

 two harmless Water Snakes, which had been consumed but a 

 short time. It should be here understood that the Moccasin, 



418 



