1908]  Grinnell—Biota of the San Bernardino Mountains. 169 
or more from the stream. The line of cienagas running up the 
south base of Sugarloaf appeared to be a favorite resort for rat- 
tlesnakes, doubtless due to the abundance of gophers and meadow 
mice there. 
In all our experience the rattlers of this region proved to be 
mild-mannered and always inoffensive, seeking to make their 
escape in every instance, and only striking when worried to the 
last degree. Neither myself nor my companions had any ‘‘nar- 
row escapes’’ from being bitten that we were aware of. Many 
were noosed and a dozen were preserved as specimens. 
The size of the rattlesnake of this region seems to average 
small, judging from reports from elsewhere in California. The 
following are a series of actual measurements taken by myself, 
length in inches from fresh (chloroformed) specimens: 19, 22, 
24, 26, 27, 37, 3844, 40 and 42. The latter specimen was taken 
at Bluff lake, 7500 feet altitude, July 22, 1905. A specimen 
taken on the upper Santa Ana July 6, 1907, and 37 inches lone, 
was four inches in largest circumference, and weighed just 114 
pounds. I saw one rattlesnake, not the largest either, with 13 
rattles; all the others possessed from three to nine rattles, usually 
’ 
incomplete in number, that is, with the ‘‘button’’ and probably 
later acquired ones missing. In color there was considerable 
variation, though the majority were very dark, so black above 
as to show the merest traces of the lighter markings. Some also 
were heavily mottled on the under surface as well. The lichtest 
specimens, with beautifully contrasted light and dark markings, 
were obtained at Doble (in the arid belt), though a dark one was 
also noted there. (See pl. 21.) 
The food of the rattlesnake may be judged from the followine 
instances. One caught on the south face of Sugarloaf July 3, 
1905, contained an entire adult chipmunk (Eutamias merriami), 
recently swallowed head first. Another from the same locality 
contained similarly a full-sized gopher (Thomomys altivallis). A 
small-sized individual was found at the mouth of the South Fork, 
July 18, 1906, with its mouth efficiently gagged by a half-swal- 
lowed adult meadow mouse (Microtus californicus). Even when 
handled and worried the snake was unable to extricate himself 
from his bulging mouthful. At Bluff lake a rattler taken July 
