Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

ACCIDENTS AND EMERGENCIES 439Habitat, North Carolina southward to the Gulf,westward through Kentucky, southern Illinois, andMissouri, to Oklahoma and eastern Texas.Not so poisonous as the larger kinds of rattlesnakes,but still dangerous to human life. Quitenumerous in the southern states. More aggressivethan the rattlesnake, striking at everything withinreach; but usually rather deliberateabout striking,first opening its mouth widely for some seconds, asif to intimidate, and showing the white interior(hence the name "cottonmouth"). Usually foundnear water, and often on low limbs overhanging thewater.Only one species. The other so-called "moccasins"are either the copperhead or harmless snakes.3. Rattlesnake.—Of rattlers we have no less thansixteen species, but only two of them, the massasaugaand the banded or timber rattlesnake, are found inthe eastern and central states. The little prairierattlesnake, which is not very dangerous, is abundanton the plains west of the Missouri River. Thegreat diamond rattlesnake of the South, which sometimesgrows to a length of nearly nine feet, is themost formidable member of this group. The smallground rattlesnake of the southern states is aggressive,and gives only a faint warning, and on this accountis more dreaded by the negroes than the largerspecies; but its bite is seldom fatal to grown people.The other species are confined to the Southwest andthe Pacific coast.Rattlesnakes are easily identified by their rattles.These generally last only long enough to become 8or 10 jointed. Rattles with as many as 15 to 18joints are quite rare. The number of rattles doeslot indicate the snake's age.Their office is not clearlyunderstand. Doctor Stejneger says: "They are asubstitute for a voice."When a rattlesnake sees a man approaching, itgenerally lies quiet to escape observation, so long as