POISONOUS SNAKES 95 



A bird's-eye view of our venomous serpents reveals the 

 following assemblage: 



Yr.jjojious Serpents of Nokth America. 



Rattlesnakes, 11 species, 

 Massasaugas, 3 species, 

 Water Moccasin, 

 Copperhead, 

 Harlecjuin Snake, 

 Sonoran Coral Snake. 



Out of the 95,000,000 people in the United States, prob- 

 ably not more than two die each year as the result of snake- 

 bites. The number of timid people who are frightened by 

 harmless snakes, each year, must be about 1,000,000. Now, 

 if all the latter coiUd be so fully informed as to be free for all 

 time from groundless fear, what a relief to suffering nerves it 

 would be. 



And why should any one remain in ignorance.'* In reality, 

 there are only five types to learn, all the rattlesnakes and 

 massasaugas being referable to one group by reason of the 

 rattles and "buttons" on their tails. 



Come, then! Let us address ourselves to the very simple 

 task of learning from a book how to recognize the venomous 

 serpents of North America, as readily as one recognizes the 

 dogs and horses of our next-door neighbor. Excepting the 

 water moccasin, they are all so plainly marked that all per- 

 sons except those who are blind may know them; and there 

 is no excuse for forgetting them. Instead of going into their 

 anatomy at length, our efforts for this occasion will be con- 

 centrated upon their external characters, habits and homes. 



Fortunately, we have not in North America any house- 

 haunting serpents of great cunning and unfailing deadliness 



