366 



ZOOLOGY 



ous, their bite is not dangerous, l)ut they attack large birds and 

 even niechum-sized mammals, and crush them to death in the 

 folds of their l)ody. 



Tlie family Elapidae includes the large, venomous serpents 

 of the East, the cobra of the East Indies, and the asp of the 



Fig. 345. — Elnps coroUina, a harlequin snako of South America allied to 

 the l)ead-snake of the South. From "Standard Natural History," after 

 Brehm. 



Egyptians. The l)ite of these serpents is quickly fatal to man. 

 To this family belongs also the bead-snake of our Southern 

 States, which is, however, harmless (Fig. 345). 



The Crotalidae ' include the rattlesnakes, characteristic of 

 America.^ Of this family the most dangerous is the water 

 moccasin, or l)lack moccasin, which inhabits the Southern 



1 /iTO/a^on, clapper. 2 pigg. 346 317, 



