38 Storer on the 
beneath, yellow, with fuliginous dots and blotches 
distributed irregularly over its surface. Scales on 
the back elongated, carinated ; scales upon the sides 
larger, caring less prominent. Length of the head, 
one inch and a half; width of the head, one inch. 
Top of the head, flattened; scales upon the top, 
small; on the sides of the head, large, pentagonal ; 
on the edges of the jaws, quadrangular. Snout, 
terminated by one large plate; a quadrangular plate 
on each side of this; directly back of these, a smaller 
one, in which are the circular nostrils, situated ob- 
liquely, pointing forwards. Directly above the two 
lateral plates, two others are situated; the first, 
meeting the snout anteriorly, and the second, extend- 
ing some distance beyond the nostrils behind. At 
the anterior angle of the eye, a large plate, separated 
from the nostrils by two quite small plates, at the 
anterior inferior angle of which, is the aperture for 
the poison. A large plate over the eyes. Two 
plates much larger than the others, upon the throat. 
The rattle is composed of six corneous portions. 
The other specimen has eleven rattles. The abdo- 
minal plates are 170; caudal plates, 24. 
Although the poison of this species is very viru- 
lent, an accident is seldom known to occur; proving 
its unwillingness to be the aggressor, and that the 
fangs are used only as weapons of defence, after 
sufficient warning has been. given of its presence, by 
the rattles. 
The general impression that a rattle is added an- 
nually is incorrect. Dr. Holbrook observes, “ It is 
now certain that rattle snakes have been known to 
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