was
wondering what sudden impulse had seized him, when I heard him exclaim,
"Look out, Harry I see that creature;" and there I observed stretched
across the path, a big ugly-looking serpent. I sprang back, holding
True, who would have unhesitatingly dashed at the dangerous reptile. It
was nearly six feet in length, almost as thick as a man's leg, of a deep
brown above, pale yellow streaks forming a continued series of
lozenge-shaped marks down the back, growing less and less distinct as
they descended the sides, while it had a thin neck, and a huge flat
head, covered with small scales.

As we had our guns ready, we did not fear it. It seemed disinclined to
move, and, had it not lifted up its tail, we might have supposed it
dead. We soon recognised, by the shape of the point, the fearful
rattlesnake;--fearful it would be from its venomous bite, had not the
rattle been fixed to it to give notice of its approach. We threw sticks
at it, but still it did not seem inclined to move. Again it lifted up
its horny tail, and shook its rattle. "Take care," cried John; "keep
away." The serpent had begun to glide over the ground, now looking at
one of us, now at the other, as if undecided at which it should dart. I
took John's advice, and quickly retreated. He fired, and shattered the
reptile's head. As it still moved slowly, I finished it with a blow of
my stick.

As it would have been inconvenient to drag after us, we cut off the
tail, that we might examine it at leisure. We found that the rattle was
placed with the broad part perpendicular to the body. The last joint
was fastened to the last vertebra of the tail by means of a thick
muscle, as well as by the membranes which united it to the skin. The
remaining joints were so many extraneous bodies, as it were, unconnected
with the tail, except by the curious way in which they were fitted into
each other. It is said that these bony rings or rattles increase in
number with the age of the animal, and on each casting of the skin it
acquires an additional one. The tip of every uppermost bone runs within
two of the bones below it. By this means they not only move together,
but also multiply the sound, as each bone hit against two others at the
same time.

They are said only to bite when provoked or when they kill their prey.
For this purpose they are provided with two kinds of teeth,--the
smaller, which are placed in each jaw, and serve to catch and retain
their foo