:368 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



3 Heterodon platyrhinus Latreille 



Blowing adder 



De Kay. Heterodon platyrhinos 



Jordan. Heterodon platyrhinos 



Body short and stout, tail very short and rapidly tapering. Scales 



markedly carinated. Eostral compressed and recurved. Scales in 



£5 rows. 



Color yellowish gray 

 to brown, with dark 

 brownish to black 

 blotches on back, be- 

 coming black, half 

 rings on upper side 

 of tail ; beneath, yel- 

 lowish to greenish 

 yellow. Length 30 

 inches. 



Melanistic individ- 

 uals of this species 

 seem to be quite com- 

 mon. They are recorded by Cope from Scarboro, Westchester co.; 

 and have been taken by R. L. Ditmars in Sullivan county. 



"Rather common in the southern parts of New York." 

 De Kay. '42 



" One of our common snakes " in the Highlands. Mearns. '98, 

 p. 327 



" Yery common in sandy regions in Orange county and southern 

 Westchester county." Eckel. 1901, p. 152 



"Not at all common in Rockland county." Wallace. 1901 



This species, though entirely harmless, is commonly regarded as 



venomous. When annoyed it flattens the anterior portion of its 



hody, and hisses vigorously. Comparison, of the above specific 



description and figures with those of the copperhead (p. 385) will 



» 



show the numerous points of difference. 



Fig. 4 Heterodon platyrhinus 



