THE OpLUBRID^. 677 



In the State it occurs along the waters of the Mahoning, Big Beaver, 

 and Muskingum rivers, and also in the neighborhood of Cleveland. 



The Copperhead is one of our most venomous species. It differs from 

 the Eattlesnakes in that it strikes without warning. It is an indolent, 

 sluggish animal, but when approached raises its head, thrusts out its 

 tongue, and strikes at the intruder. It has various common names such 

 as Hazel-head, Chunkhead, Red Viper, Copperbelly, Cotton-mouth, Dumb 

 Rattlesnake, Red and Deaf Adder, but it is more usually designated as 

 Copperhead. They, at least the pregnant females, are gregarious and 

 occur in meadows or elevated grounds. They are, however, terrestrial, 

 and appear to be ovoviviparous ; at least according to Allen, five females 

 out of seven, caught in the latter part of July in Massachusetts, contained 

 slightly developed embryos, while of six females killed in September the 

 ovaries of each contained seven or nine young, six inches long. 



FAMILY COLUBRID^. THE COLUBRINE SNAKES, 



Conical teeth in both jaws; head oblong or oval, covered with large plates; poison 

 fangs wanting ; pnpil of eye circular ; lachrymal or nasal pit absent ; body colnbriform ; 

 head tapering gradnally into the neck ; dorsal scales oarinated or smooth ; no anal 

 appendages ; urosteges bifid ; tail conical, without rattle, tapering gradnally to a point; 

 species all believed to be harmless. 



The following excellent table, fashioned after the Smithsonian Catalogue of Beptiles, 

 by Baird and Girard, and Jordan's Manual, it is believed will enable anyone to readily 

 refer a species to its proper genns. 

 Dorsal scales oarinated. a. 

 Dorsal scales smooth, i. 

 a. Post-abdominal scutella entire, 6. 

 a. Post-abdominal scutella bifid, c. 

 S. Dorsal rows of scales not exceeding 23. . . . . Eut.S!NIA. 



J. Dorsal rows exceeding 25 Pityophis. 



0. Loral and anteorbital plates both present, d. 



0. Anteorbitals absent ; extralimital Haldsa. 



c. Lorals absent Storbria. 



d. Dorsal rows of scales 17 or less Cyclophis. 



d. Dorsal rows of scales 19 or more. e. 

 e. Cephalic plates typical. /. 

 e. Cephalic plates not typical, ft. 

 /. Postorbitals three, rarely two ; anteorbitals usually one ; dorsal rows of 



scales 23-29 TROPrboNOTUs. 



/. Postorbitals two ; dorsal rows of scales 19-21. . . . Reqika. ' 



A. Muzzle projecting and recurved Hetbrodon. 



A. Muzzle not projecting Coluber. 



i. Anteorbital plates both present, j. 

 i. Anteorbitals absent, m. 

 /. Post-abdominal scutella entire, or bifid with 25 rows of dorsal scales. 



OPmBOLUS. 



