1360 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



A LANCEHEAD VIPER 



DIAMOND-BACK RATTLESNAKE SKULL 



western rattlesnake, technically known as Cro- 

 talus atrox. These snakes were recent arrivals 

 from Brownsville, Texas, and one of them was 

 particularly savage. It is the procedure in 

 cage-cleaning to remove soiled spots in the grav- 

 el with a long-handled shovel. In inserting the 

 shovel, Keeper Toomey advanced one hand, 

 palm upward on the shovel-handle, a short dis- 

 tance within the door-frame. From the left 

 rear corner of the cage the snake struck straight 

 across, like a flash. The writer now believes 

 that the fangs were imbedded in the hand near 



the base of the thumb. Immediately after the 

 accident the wounds were puzzling. There was 

 one apparently deep wound on the back of the 

 hand, and two rather deep scratches. Where 

 it now appears the fangs were imbedded were 

 two ragged wounds with no definite indication 

 of deeper punctures. All the wounds were free- 

 ly bleeding, and it was difficult to determine 

 actual fang punctures. It should be under- 

 stood that a snake of the size involved has quite 

 long anterior teeth in the lower jaw, and that 

 the head, to provide for remarkable distension 



SOUTH AMERICAN RATTLESNAKE 



