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the Moccasin, the Copperhead, and the Harlequin snake. 
With the exception of the latter, these belong to the family 
Crotalida , distinguished by the presence of a deep pit between 
the eye and the mouth, and by the possession of a pair of 
poison fangs in the upper jaw, which are erectible at will. 
The Rattlesnake is common to the whole United States, 
very rarely reaching into Canada, and becoming more plenti¬ 
ful towards the south, where they grow to a large size, some¬ 
times reaching as .much as six feet in length. They are 
characterized by a horny outgrowth of the epidermis at the 
end of the tail, known as the rattle, with which they make a 
whirring noise when excited, with the effect, it is presumed, 
of giving notice to their enemies that they are not to be 
trifled with without danger. The number of buttons, as the 
sections into which the rattle is divided are termed, has been 
commonly supposed to be a means of determining the age of 
the snake, but as they are frequently lost by accident, and are 
as frequently produced three or four at a time, it is evident 
that this belief, with a number of others of equally loose 
foundation which invest the popular mind regarding the ser¬ 
pent, may as well be abandoned. 
The Banded Rattlesnake ( Crotalus liorrichis) and the 
Diamond Rattlesnake ( Crotalus adamanteus ) are the most 
well-marked species of this genus. The former being most 
common in the Eastern and Middle States, while the latter 
ranges from North Carolina to Florida. 
Say’s Rattlesnake ( Crotalus confluents') is one of the 
well-known western varieties. 
The Ground Rattlesnake ( Caudisonia miliaria) and the 
Prairie Rattlesnake ( Caudisonia tergemina ) are small species 
from the south and west. 
The Water Moccasin ( Ancistrodonpiscivorus') is confined 
to the wet and swampy lands throughout the south. A well- 
marked variety (pugnax) is confined to Texas. 
The Copperhead ( Ancistrodon contortrix) is found almost 
all over the United States, east of the Mississippi. 
The Harlequin Snake (. Elaps fulvius), of the Southern 
States, is also venomous, but in a lesser degree. It is of a 
very mild disposition, and has hardly ever been known to 
bite. It is one of the most beautiful of the order, being 
ringed with red, black, and yellow. The family, Elapida , to 
