136 YEARBOOK, PUBLIC MUSEUM, MILWAUKEE [Vol. III. 



persons still believe that in order to strike, the snake must first assume 

 a beautiful, symmetrical coil, like a small coil of rope, and that its tail 

 bearing the shaking rattle will be seen sticking upwards in the center. 

 Perhaps such cases have been seen by others, but the writer has no 

 recollection of such an ideal posture. In practically all the instances 

 he can recall, the end of the tail was generally outside of the coiled 

 portions of the body. In cases where the rattle was inside the coil 

 consisted simply of a loose fold or two and not of the greater part of 

 the body. Such an instance is shown in figure 79. At no time were 

 they symmetrically posed. 



A rattlesnake wound is rarely located higher than a man's knee, 

 unless of course the person had stooped or placed some part of the 

 body in a low position. Only a very large Banded Rattlesnake five 

 feet or over in length, or a Diamond-back Rattlesnake, can maintain 

 the necessary leverage on the ground and hit much higher. Even 

 though the height of the snake's head from the ground may be above 

 one's knee before the blow the snake must lower its head when it 

 projects it forward. 



There appears to be much illusion and ignorance as to the fangs 

 and poison apparatus. Quite a number of people still believe that 

 when the fangs of a rattlesnake have been removed the danger is also 

 removed. Far from it. "The poison apparatus of the Crotaline snakes 

 consists of two long and hollow teeth — fangs provided with an elon- 

 gated orifice at their tips for the ejection of venom. These fangs 

 are the exact reproduction, in hard enamel, of the hypodermic needle. 

 It might more appropriately be said, that mankind in manufacturing 

 the hypodermic needle exactl}^ duplicated the poison fangs of these 

 reptiles. The fangs are rigidly fastened to movable hones of the upper 

 jaw, and each connects with a gland, situated behind the eye, and con- 

 taining the venom. When the jaws are closed, the fangs fold back 

 against the roof of the mouth. As the jaws are opened, they spring 

 forward, ready for action. The forcible ejection of venom from the 

 fangs is caused by the contraction against the glands, of the muscles 

 which close the jaws. The ejection of poison is voluntary, and unless 

 the reptile so desires there is no necessity in closing the jaws, to con- 

 tract these muscles sufficiently to force venom from the glands. The 

 fangs are covered with a sheath of thin and white, membraneous flesh. 

 This is never withdrawn from them except during the act of biting. 



"The fangs are shed at intervals of about three months apart, and 

 by a neat provision of Nature the new fang grows into place beside the 

 one about to be shed and becomes connected with the poison gland, 



