UNCLE DAVE AND HIS WATER-RATTLER 
When the water-rattler is projected into the field of discus¬ 
sion herpetologists will no doubt protest the existence of such 
a specie. To be more definite, I have already had correspond¬ 
ence with four of the leading zoological societies and snake- 
farm operators in America, all of which deny that the scientific 
world has any knowledge whatever of such a reptile. But to 
Uncle Dave, he is very real—as a matter of fact, it was one 
of these, and not a diamond-back, which took the life of his 
son. He was present and looking directly at his son when the 
tragedy occurred. Now, there is no difference between this 
species and the true diamond-back other than their habits, 
color, and absence of rattles. I shall attempt a more detailed 
description of such differences later. 
They are without doubt the most ill-tempered of any mem¬ 
ber of the rattler family, and bathers who, unfortunately, take 
a dip in a lake infested with their young, are very likely to pay 
with their lives for such indiscretion. They will attack beneath 
the water as quickly as upon the banks of the stream, and do 
not give the usual warning of the diamond-back. Uncle Dave 
avers that while you hear the hiss of the latter in time to 
escape the blow, the hiss and the stroke of the water-rattler 
come simultaneously—consequently, when you hear the hiss of 
the latter, you are already bitten. Recounting in my own mind 
the number of fatalities among victims of the two species, it 
is my opinion that the water-rattler is more deadly than the 
diamond-back. This might be explained on the theory that 
while the latter is eternally fanging his prey, dogs, and larger 
animals which threaten to trample upon him, the water-rattler 
seldom has occasion to employ his fangs, but fishes for his 
food after the fashion of the moccasin. Animals enumerated 
above, and men, seldom frequent his native haunts, lakes, 
ponds, and stagnant lagoons. Consequently, when he does 
have occasion to bite, the victim is sure to receive an overdose 
of the deadly venom. 
When one’s skin has been freshly sloughed, the diamonds 
222 
