CROTALUSMILIARIUS. 75 



where it is continuous with a hne of similar colour that departs from the lower 

 jaw about its middle. The upper jaw is dusky; the lower is light coloured, with 

 some dark lines that mark the position of the labial plates; the vertebral hne is 

 interrupted at regular intervals by oblong, oval, or subquadrate spots, placed 

 transversely; these spots are frequently emarginate before and behind, and all of 

 them have their margins tipped with yellowish-white. On the flanks is another 

 series of sub-round spots, placed in the same vertical line with the vertebral row, 

 becoming less regular towards the tail. Between the lateral and vertebral rows, 

 and alternating with them, is another series of round spots; these are dusky, 

 never as strongly marked as the others, and sometimes nearly obsolete. These 

 colours are by no means so bright at all times as they are represented in the 

 accompanying plate, which was drawn from an animal of great beauty, soon after 

 it had shed its skin. Indeed, there are times when the whole colouring is very 

 obscure, and requires washing to bring it out. The inferior surface of the tail is 

 flesh colour, dotted with dark spots. 



Dimensions. Length of head, 11 lines; greatest breadth of head, 7^ lines; 

 length of body, 13 inches; length of tail, 2 inches without the rattles; these vary in 

 number, generally there are two or three, but I have seen as many as five. In the 

 specimen here described, there were 128 abdominal plates, and 30 subcaudal. 



Habits. This species of rattlesaake is very common in the southern states; 

 it is found in dry places among leaves, and frequently in high grass, in search of 

 small field mice, on which it feeds. 



Geographical Distribution. This animal has a wide range, though its distri- 

 bution is somewhat singular; in the Atlantic States it is not found north of lat. 

 35°, yet it inhabits Michigan in lat. 43"; it abounds in Carolina, whence it passes 

 through Georgia, round the southern extremities of the Alleghanies to Alabama, 

 Mississippi and Louisiana. I have received specimens from all these states, and 

 have no doubt but that it is found in the western states and territories as far as 

 the foot of the Rocky Mountains, as Say found it even on the river Platte. 



