196 THE MINDS AND MANNERS 



a copperliead, or a hog-nosed blowing "viper" because it looks 

 like a rattlesnake, as it is to shy at a gun that "may be loaded." 



To American plainsmen, the non-aggressive temper of the 

 rattlesnake is well known, and it is also a positive asset. I 

 never knew one who was nervously afraid while sleeping in 

 the open that snakes would come and crawl into his bed, or 

 mix up with his camp. Of course all frontiersmen kill rattlers, 

 as a sort of bounden duty to society, but I once knew an 

 eastern man to turn loose a rattlesnake that he had photo- 

 graphed, in the observance of his principle never to kill an 

 animal whose picture he had taken. Subsequently it was 

 gravely reported that one of the restive horses of the outfit 

 had "accidentally" killed that rattler by stepping upon it. 



A Summary of Poisonous Snakes. There are about 

 300,000 poisonous snakes in the United States, and 110,000,000 

 people for them to bite; but more people are bitten by captive 

 snakes than by wild ones. 



A fool and his snake are soon parted. 



There are 200,000 rattlesnakes in our country, but all of 

 them will let you alone if you will let them alone. 



If your police record is clear, you can sleep safely in the 

 sage-brush. 



If ever you need to camp in a cave, remember that in warm 

 weather the rattlesnakes are all out hunting, and will not 

 return until the approach of winter. 



The largest snakes of the world exist only in the human 

 mind. 



The rattlesnake is a world-beater at minding his own 

 business. 



Men do far more fighting per capita than any snakes yet 

 discovered. 



The road to an understanding of the minds of serpents is 

 long and difficult. Perhaps the best initial line of approach 

 is through a well-stocked Reptile House. Having studied 



