The Golondrina Plant. 191 



After oljserviui^' the ra])i(l locomotion of a particularly lont^ indi- 

 vidual one day, I considered discretion the better ])art of valor when 

 it turned upon me and showed ti^ht, esi)ecially as I chanced to have 

 no weapon at hand. 



On the Colorado desert the rattlesnake closeh' imitates the 

 color of the sand that surrounds it. The larger one resembles the. 

 diamond-back in its markings and is the species known as Crotalus 

 ])yrrhus. 



The desert region possesses a smaller species (Crotalus cerastes) 

 scarcely a foot in length, white as the sands beneath it, as pug- 

 nacious as a terrier among rats, by no means sluggish in the hot 

 sun, but inclined to honorable warfare by giving w^arning to its 

 a])proaching enemy. One evening the operator at a station on the 

 Southern Pacific railway stepped into his office with slippers on his 

 feet and quickly stepped out again as he felt and heard one of these 

 reptiles under his foot. The sand-viper, or side-winder, as these 

 diminutive snakes are called by their acquaintances, kept his tail 

 employed in a lively manner until the young man put on his boots, 

 struck a light and dispatched him. On the Mojave desert this snake 

 is exceedingly abundant in some localities. Their nocttirnal habits 

 render them especially dangerous where they abound. All the other 

 rattlers, I believe, travel only in the da^'time as a rule, w^hen, if one 

 is on the lookout, he can generally avoid unpleasant experiences 

 with them. 



Dr. S. Wier Mitchell, of Philadelphia, wdio has made a special 

 study of venemous serjjents, and has studied our rattlesnakes espe- 

 cially, claitns there is no sure cure known for the virus of a rattle- 

 snake. There is a popular article in the Century Magazine (Vol. 

 38, pp. 513-514) by this Author. I will copy a few sentences. 



' When a man or an animal is bitten by a rattlesnake death 

 may take place in a few minutes. It has followed in man within a 

 minute, but unless the dose given is enormous, or by chance enters a 

 vein, this is very unlikeh-. The bite is, however, popularh^ believed 

 to be mortal, and therefore ever^^ case of recovery gives credit 

 to some remedy, for it is a maxim with physicians that the in- 

 curable and easily relievable maladies are those which have the 

 most remedies assigned to them. * * * -pj^g deadly apothecar\^ 

 does not succumb to his owm drugs. * * * ^^Q have never 

 been able to poison plants with snake venom. * * "' It is 

 possible to feed a pigeon on crotalus (rattlesnake) venom day after 

 Aa.y and see it live unlnirt. * » * ^ }-,i^e \^ ^}^e extremities reirel}- 

 causes death.' 



P'^rom the above it will be seen that the bite of the rattlesnake is 



