The Poisonous Snakes of Texas. 
47 
XV, 1892, p. 387), on the other hand, quotes Professor S. W. Williston 
as stating that the sexes pair in May.” 
“Taylor (1. c.) found its food habits similar to those of the Massa- 
sauga. It is the species often found in or around the homes of the prai- 
rie dogs, where they are most abundantly found during the breeding 
season of the dogs. 
“Professor Cope records a similar observation (Proc. Phila. Acad., 
1892, p. 336), and remarks that the snake protects itself by retreating 
quickly into the holes of the prairie dogs. The popular belief that these, 
rodents and the . rattlesnakes live together because of a special friend- 
ship is erroneous, as there can be no doubt that the latter to a great 
extent feed upon the offspring of the former. 
“In addition to the hibernation, which, according to Dr. Coues, lasts; 
about six months, terminating with the loosening of the ground from 
frost, Dr. Suckley (Pac. R. R. Rep., XII, pt. Ill, p. 296) observed these 
snakes in a more or less sluggish and stupid condition during the drouth 
of summer, a condition which he calls ‘aestivation.’ ” 
CROTALUS LEPIDUS, Kennicoii. 
(“Green Rattlesnake.”) 
Plate XI. 
DESCRIPTION. 
“The top of the muzzle is covered by eight smooth scutae; the rostral 
plate is rather low, and is in contact with the prenasal; there are two 
preoculars and two loreals; and hut two scales separate the orbit from 
the superior labial scuta. Of the latter there are twelve occipital scales 
smooth. Scales of body in twenty-three rows, the two external on each 
side smooth. Gastrosteges (ventrals), 153; urosteges (subcaudals), 27. 
The rattle consists of seven segments and a button, and narrows grad- 
ually towards the extremity. 
The color above is greenish gray, which is crossed by nineteen jet black 
rings on the body, which do not extend on the abdomen. These rings 
are two and a half scales wide on the middle line, and narrow down- 
wards on each side so as to cover but one scale in width. The scales 
which border the annuli are half black and half green, the effect of 
which is to give the edge of the ring a turreted outline. The edges of 
the ground color are paler than any other part of the scales, thus throw- 
ing the black into greater relief. A large black spot, shaped like ‘two 
hearts side by side with the apices posterior, marks the nape, and there 
is an irregular small black spot on each side of the occiput. Xo other 
