S36 



MILIARY RATTLE-SNAKE. 



Crotalus Miliarius. C. cinereus, maculis nigris triplici ordine 

 longitudinali, macula rubra inter singulas dorsales. 



Grey Rattle-Snake, with a triple row of black spots, and a red 

 spot between each of the dorsal ones. 



Crotalus Miliarius, Lin. Syst. Nat. p. 572. 



Small Rattle-Snake. Catesb. Car. 2. pi. 42. 



Abdominal scuta 132, subcaudal 32. 



Mr. Catesby, the first describer of this animal, 

 seems to entertain some doubts whether it really 

 differs from the common rattle-snake, in any other 

 respect than in colour, its prevailing tinge being 

 grey-brown, shaded on the back with red, and 

 marked by large black spots with white indented 

 edges. It appears, however, to be a truly distinct 

 species, differing not only in colour but in the 

 smaller number of its abdominal scuta : there 

 are generally three rows of black dorsal spots, of 

 which the middle range is the largest, and is dis- 

 tinguished by a red spot interposed between each 

 of the black ones, which are also commonly 

 tinged with red on the middle : this is the smallest 

 species of Rattle-Snake yet known, rarely ex- 

 ceeding the length of two feet. In its general 

 habits it resembles the preceding kinds, 



