1923] 



POPE, HUNTING WISCONSIN RATTLESNAKES 



25 



as well as sketches of characteristic poses assumed by them. During 

 this period, as at all times during their captivity, it was noted that the 

 animals made no violent attempts to escape and seldom left the pro- 

 tected part of the cage. In fact, they proved a rather quiet and slug- 

 gish lot. Occasionally they would gracefully stretch themselves up 

 along the sides of the pen for at least three-fourths of their length, not 

 quite reaching the upper edge. When they could get their heads up 

 to and over the top of the sides when the cover was removed, the rest 

 of the body could easily be drawn up after it. They were much more 

 active after shedding and at times seemed to be on the alert for any 



Fig. 12. — Removing the fangs of a rattlesnake. 



game which might appear, assuming a pose with the head raised four 

 or more inches above the ground, and poised ready for striking. Many 

 interesting and typical poses were presented. In studying the speci- 

 mens a chair for the artist was placed out on the roof beside the pen and 

 any individual specimen could easily be isolated from the others by 

 means of the tongs or even taken out of the pen and liberated for a 

 time on the roof while a suitable photograph was made, such as that 

 shown in figure 10. In all of the operations the snakes never attempt- 

 ed at any time to strike, but would invariably try to quietly glide 



