United States Department of the Interior 
Fish and Wildlife Service 


——. 
Wildlife Leaflet 233 



Me Revised M 


Chicago, Tllinois ehgelay Kh S i, 


POISONOUS SNAKES OF THE UNITED STATES _ 
oa GAs 
tesek 




Prepared in the Division of Wildlife yes 
MECEIVED 

Contents 
Page : Page 
MME OCUCTALOMey imine lei wie a, lecaviaenl for iouteswot North 
Key to the principal poisonous : American poisonous snakes. . lL 
Snakes! On uMcmUmanced Suaties Se) "Dont ts tor the vacuame wie «er lok 
Namesiancd@rcamees oie reine” 2.7. oe) NUMA OHO) si IeSit) Me Tella) xeileeeiee wan une 
Wah eSIMalMes ie fell @ Me wale ee 
Poison apparatus of venomous 
SIMBIOS OWI 5 Calc OMONy On CMON O 
ORES OLN) AMES cel eile} Hiei) /s) ays) 
Memeteln  OiMmasivteOKejey 1s)" aie) 
Venoms of poisonous snakes« e « 
Mortality resulting from snake 
DAN Sjay,, ameter Wah) ev h vey sey et Nal Mela 
Snakes committing suicide ...1 
1) Obher  tarst—ard measures i). wu 
4) VNGEakeWOnalln Greaiimenmib, sic unelen eHmlee 
+ Special directions for the 
: (ORY SAME Maas (eels) Vel ine) key re) tan pea ON ILS 
on) eee OI SCAME NOMS a) va ay Weiner tt a ieleD 
Hee Say eta ee) an) alt (muna wala Saleen bane 
SGCHON ANS ea RON SiMe uioictWMe um cues icc) este 9 ullhs 
ROG OO SUIS. UOMSUT ey ly) 6) lel) a) toni teianon nee: 
NOOO PAD WG Sth." ry aan leirnsirneai ra eMeal arelPa rennet) 
VD aION EEOC) OIAMY, Net fat! close) 1oi1\ sya) Wel bite ety eee) 
Fo ~] Gs O O& Nr 

INTRODUCTION 
ub) 
Snakes are easily confused with one another, and the question as t 
wu whether a certain one is poisonous or harmless arises again and again. 
Out of about 220 species and varieties of snakes that occur in the United 
States and Lower California, less than 17 percent can be considered danger— 
ous to man, Poisonous snakes are provided with .a-specific venomous fluid 
and an apparatus especially adapted for the introduction of this poison 
into their victims. - As it is usual to regard all snakes as venomous, the 
burden of proof is upon those believing in their innocence. So many wonder— 
ful stories concerning snakes have been current from time to time that the 
public in turn becomes skeptical about everything concerning snakes or 
firmly believes in traditional accounts that usually are highly erroneous. 
Allowance being made for misinterpretation of certain natural habits of 
reptiles, the grain ef truth may be perceived in these traditions in spite 
of the exaggeration that ordinarily accompanies a good snake story. Never— 
theless, poisonous snakes are an actual as well as a mental hazard in these 
days of hiking, camping, and auto picnicking. 

NOTH: This leaflet supersedes Wildlife Research and Management 
Leaflet BS~70 issued in November 1936 by the Bureau of Biological Survey 
under the Department of Agriculture. 
