black and brown blotches. Though nowhere very abundant, it is aggressive 
and dangerous. It will not shy away from an intruder, but tends to attack, 
striking from an S-shaped, sidewise loop. Its fangs are long, and it secretes 
a large amount of venom. 
RATTLESNAKES 
An encounter with a rattlesnake is usually an unexpected event. It may 
occur — and often does — during a hike, picnic, or camping expedition in 
many parts of the United States and as far south as Argentina. 
The snake may be gliding across a forest pathway, or sunning itself on 
a ledge. It senses the approach of footsteps. The rattler cannot hear, but 
it feels the vibrations of the earth against its belly and becomes tense. It sees 
the intruder before being seen itself. 
Frightened or annoyed, it assumes its characteristic S-shaped striking 
coil and usually gives warning by vibrating the “rattle” at the end of its tail. 
The intruder draws up suddenly. If he is close enough, the rattlesnake uses 
his moment of indecision to lunge forward and sink its hypodermic-like 
fangs into an unprotected leg. Then, if content with its work, the creature 
slithers away. The bite of rattlesnakes, as recorded in the United States, 
has only been fatal in fifteen per cent of all cases not properly treated. And 
the smaller rattlers do not secrete enough venom to kill a man. 
Snake charmers have found through painful experience that pulling 
fangs is no insurance against snake-bite, as reserve teeth grow in very 
quickly. Removal of the poison glands has also proved impractical in the 
past because of the high mortality among snakes operated upon and the 
danger to the operator. Recently, however, a technique has been developed 
by Tait and extended by Babcock for anesthetizing rattlers and successfully 
removing the poison glands. Curiously enough, Tait found that fangs con¬ 
tinued to grow after the sacs had been removed. 
Pope, who has made some interesting researches on the relative toxicity 
of snakes, writes that if a fifteen-pound diamond-back, noted for the great 
amount of venom carried at one time, were loaded with the poison of the 
Australian tiger snake, one load could kill four hundred men. 
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