192 Life and Immortality. 
Anetstrodon piscivorus, the Water Moccasin, that commands 
so much respect from the negroes of the South, is, from the 
pugnacity of his nature, equally to be feared. While the 
Rattlesnake will slink away from danger, the Moccasin will 
attack man or brute with savage ferocity. He is essentially 
a water-snake, chasing fishes and small reptiles in the streams 
of his native haunts, and may be recognized by the dark- 
brown colors on the upper portion of the head and the yel- 
lowish line that passes from the snout to or over the nostril. 
MOTHER BLACK SNAKE. 
Her Affection for Newly-Hatched Young. 
His length rarely exceeds twenty inches, and he is stout in 
proportion. The Moccasins show the same curious care for 
their young already mentioned. A low, blowing noise 
apprises them of danger, and into the slightly-opened mouth 
of the mother, which is held close to the ground, they hur- 
riedly disappear. 
One of the commonest of the non-poisonous snakes is the 
Striped Garter Snake, ten species of which being known in 
the United States. Upon the earliest appearance of spring 
