258 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 
GENUS HETERODON. (Beauv.) 
23. Heterodon siipakguase (Latr.) The Blowing Adder or Spreading Adder. 
Is quite a common snake both in Missouri and Hlinois. They are gen- 
erally found near water a feed on frogs. Some are nicely spotted, others 
are nearly uniform in color, and were on that account formerly separated as 
two distinct species. 
THE POISONOUS SNAKES. 
FAMILY CROTALIDAE. 
GENUS AGKISTRODON. (Beauv.) 
24. Agkistrodon Contortrix. (Linn.) The Copperhead 
Not an uncommon Snake in St. Louis County, Sie: It is found under 
rocks and logs, generally in a shady maceiey: and hostly in the neighborhood 
of water. They also vibrate their tails, and when striking against some dry 
leaves it will make a rattling noise. These snakes are vicious and always 
ready to bite. They are very poisonous, but the researches of Drs. Mitchell 
& Reichert show that their venom is less virulent than that of the rattle 
snake, but more so than the water moccasin, which is found farther south 
in the State of Missouri. 
GENUS SISTRURUS. (Garman.) 
25. Sistrurus Catenatus. sags The Prairie Rattle Snake Massasauga. 
farmers destroy many of them while plowing their fields. I know of a place 
where a farmer plowed up seven large snakes out of ajpiece of ground not 
over 200 feet long by 8 feet wide 
GENUS CROTALUS. (Linn.) RATTLE SNAK 8. 
26. Crotalus Horridus. (Linn. ) The Common Rattle Snake or the Timber 
Rattle Snake. eroke a sonnette of the French and Klapper Schiange 
of the Germ 
Years ago oy pals was rather scarce in St. Clair County, Ill., as in 
those days there was no stock law, and the pigs roamed around and exter- 
minated a good many snakes, but since the stock law has gone into effect, 
compelling swine to be penned up, the snakes have become more numerous 
later on they go to the wheat fields and meadows, where they are very safe 
till harvest time, when a good many are destroyed by the farm hands. 
Order Lacertilia. (Lizards.) 
_ FaMILy SCINCIDAgE. 
GENUS LYGOSOMA. (Gray.) 
27. Lygosoma Laterale. (Say.) Tae Ground Lizard. 
_ Upto the present time I have only found two apecimens of this nimble 
: : = lizard at Cliff Cave, St. Louis — Mo. They were found under rocks. 
