The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-27
Poisonou. American Snakes.

Among the Ill species Of serpents
found in North America are some Of the
most poisonous snakes known TO science,
and the fact that the death rate in the
United States from snake bites is so low
is ascribed to the use Of foot cover
ings by all the inhabitants Of snake
infested portions OF the country. Mr..
RAYMOND l.. DITMARs, curator Of rep
tiles in the geological park, in an article
in The World To-day, gives to one Of the
r~attlers found on this continent q place
among the most deadly Of all snakes.
The C" pperheads are found in abundance
inthe Palisades, yetthey do comparatively
slight damage to the human family.
This is accounted for in part by their
n%octural habits and their lack Of aggres-
siveness. Their homes are under shelv-
ing rocks, on which, Mr.. DITMARs cheer
fully points out, picnic parties spread
their lunCheons and take their ease.
In western Massachusetts and Con-
nectiCut, and in the mountainous dis
tricts Of New York and Pennsylvania,
r~attlers and copperheads are common
Their haunts are in the rougher parts Of
the hills, visited only at long intervals
by man except in the hunting season,
when the snakes have withdrawn for the
winter. In the lake region and the Ohio
valley another variety Of rattlesnake,
the massasauga, abounds, and In the
sout eastern par Of the country the
water mocoasin and the pygmy and dia-
mond r~attlesnakes are found. The last
is the king of the North American poison
people, often growing to a length of eight
feet. With these dwells the coral snake,
slender and innocent in appearance, in
ats rings of brilliant scarlet, yellow and
black COunterfeiting several harmless
snak' s.
The poisonous snakes found west OF the
Mississippi, except the coral snakes Of
the Mexican border and the copperheads
Of Texas, are all rattlers. The family
includes many species. Among them
are the - orned ~rattlesnake, some with
horns over the eyes, others with a pro-
tuberance on t1e snout. Thu horned
rattlesnake of the desert does not crawl
like the serpent OF popular imagination.
1t makes its way over the fine, soft sand
without sinking, by thrusting forward, al
rather ar obliqus angle, alternate loops
OF the body" The trail Of the snake
resembles a series Of double U's i'm
printed IN the surface Of the ground,
and its method Of locomotion has given
to it the name @sidewheeler.'
Mr.. DrTMARs overturns several o
lar notions; he declares that the rattle
snake ear strike without coiling, and he
denies that it a leap, as most persons
believe. The prairie rattlesnake does
not live in harmony with owls and prairie
dogs in the burrows OF the latter: the
snake eats the young of the dogs, and
owls enter only deserted burrows. The
age OF a snake cannot be told by it's rat
ties. II tn, rattle is acuminate, termi-
mating with q smooth button, the bear
er's age may be estimated by allowing
three segments to a year, but when
the segments r of uniform size the
rings Of his snakeship's youth have been
lost. and as an indicator Of age the rattle
is of no use. Nor can a snake be rem
dered permanently harmless by extract
ing its fangs. Numerous Auxiliary fangs
lie behind and these become available
to conduct poison in three weeks or a
month. Besides this, the poison Of a
fangIess snake may be introduced il
wounds caused by the spake's solid teeth.
Neither are snakes blind when shedding
their skins. Mr.. DTTMARs has noted a
uniform certainty Of aim" among those
with milky looking eyes.
Mr.. DITMARs declares that while
snakes are Of undoubted assistance to
man in keeping down small rodents,
the poisonous varieties must GO, and he
looks for their extinction in the near
future. Yet in the most thickly settled
parts Of the country poisonous snakes
survive, nor Is there any marked decrease
in their numbers, a fact that may be ac-
counted for by their fecundity and their
retiring disposition. However, we shall
not question the accuracy Of Mr.. Dr.
MARS as to the coming d~lsappearance Of
poisonous reptiles from thickly settled
communities. He knows snakes.
I