216 i The Massasauga and its Habits. [March 
space. Thus the poison might be reserved for such as could not 
take a hint. Doubtless, too, by this means, the snake was saved 
from many a rude tread by bear, or wolf, or. panther, that to the 
serpent would at least have been very unpleasant, and. might 
have involved it in a fight in which it had everything to lose and 
nothing to gain. 
Within the past few weeks some specimens of the Massasauga 
have come under my notice, whose history may throw some light 
on the breeding habits of this species, as well as on some other 
matters that have, been discussed. These specimens belonged 
to the black variety, and were captured in the northern part of 
Hendricks County, Indiana, by Mr. M. B. Harvey, of Rainstown. 
This gentleman’s truthfulness is testified to by friends in whom 
I have complete confidence, and his statements are made with 
such sincerity and carefulness that I have no hesitafion whatever 
in accepting them. 
he specimens, two in number, one about two feet long, the 
other somewhat less, both dull black without trace of spots 
above, were captured about the Ist of last August and kept 
in close confinement. They were found in an old swampy clear- 
ing that was somewhat overgrown with brush. About the Ist 
of September they both brought forth living young,—one five 
and the other six,—the two broods appearing within thirty or 
forty hours of each other. Two of the young died when about 
three weeks old; the others are still alive (January 28) and in 
apparent health. Neither the parents since their capture nor the 
young since their birth had had, up to January I, anything either 
to eat or to drink. About the latter date the corner of the box 
containing them was put into a vessel of water, and one old one 
and one young one partook. With this exception none have had 
either food or water up to the presenttime. Mr. Harvey states 
that at first the young were but three or four inches long. Some 
of them are now at least ten inches long, as I know from obser- 
vation. Others are somewhat smaller. How can this growth 
have been made? It is possible, I think, that the gentleman has 
been somewhat mistaken as to the original size ; or some of 
| may have been that small, while others not occa ob- 
JEPP were larger. A specimen of the light-colored variety in 
= my possession, which was taken from the mother but which had 
fe the fangs dorejapen, measures, when ea and a 
