THE SNAKES 351 



Horned Rattlesnake, Crotalns cerastes. S. W. U. S. 



Green Rattlesnake, Crotalus lepidus. S. W. U. S.; Mex. 



Price's Rattlesnake, Crotalus pricei. S. W. U. S.; Mex. 



White Rattlesnake, Crotalus mitchellii. S. W. U. S. 



Mexican Rattlesnake, Crotalus triseriatus. Mexico. 



Upland Rattlesnake, Crotalus polysticus, Mexico. 



An examination of the list will show the student 

 that practically every part of the United States is in- 

 habited by one or more species of rattlesnakes, which, 

 in conjunction with the eastern moccasin and the cop- 

 perhead, constitute a formidable array of dangerous 

 snakes. Compared with the number of species of 

 harmless serpents the poisonous sj)ecies are much in 

 the minority, yet it should be realized the United 

 States is wonderfully rich in reptile life. One hun- 

 dred and eleven species of snakes are found in this 

 country; of this numher seventeen are poisonous. Be- 

 sides, there are ninety-seven species of lizards; but of 

 the latter only a single species is venomous — the Gila 

 Monster of the desert Southwest. The majority of the 

 poisonous species are found in the southern latitudes, 

 though the few northern species are so abundant that 

 venomous snakes are actually more common in some 

 sections of Pennsylvania and New York than in the 

 South. 



In the face of this general occurrence of dangerous 

 reptiles in the United States accidents to man are rarely 

 recorded. This may seem remarkable as compared with 

 conditions in India, where, as has been explained, there 

 are over twent^^-thousand deaths annually from the 

 bites of snakes. But it should be remembered that in 

 India a large part of the population goes about bare- 

 legged, A^'hile the venomous snakes prowl into the im- 

 mediate domains of man — even into the gardens and 

 under houses. As the student has already noted, there 



