Art. XVIII. Natural History of the Scytalus Cupreus, or Copper-head Snake.
Art. XVIII. Natural History of the Scytalus Cupreus, or Copper-head Snake. By C. S. Rafinesque.
After the rattlesnake, the copper-head snake is the most dreaded in the northern states, being the next largest venomous snake: he is also more common in the cold parts, where the former is very rare. Strange as it may seem, this conspicuous and dangerous animal has escaped the notice of naturalists, and is not found described in Shaw nor Lacepede. Having seen two of them near Fishkill, in the summer of 1817, I endeavoured to describe them completely, and investigate their history. They were both killed in a meadow, and one of them while sleeping coiled up near a fence; a slight stroke of a rod was sufficient, as usual with venomous snakes. It appears that they are killed much easier than the innocent snakes; these are often seen to revive after an apparent death, and do not really die until the next sunset; while venomous snakes do not easily revive, particularly if the head is slightly bruised.
This snake is known by a variety of names in different parts of the State of New-York, since he has every where attracted the attention of the inhabitants: these names are, copper-head, copper-snake, chunk-head, copper-adder, copper-viper, copper-belly, pilot-snake, deaf-adder, deaf-snake; and in New-England, by the names rattlesnake's mate and red adder, &c. They have all been given in reference to his colour, or to some presumed peculiarities in his manners, &c. Chunk-head is a vulgar expression, meaning thick-head or blunt-head. He has been called sometimes pilot-snake, on a false supposition that he was the pilot or guide of the rattlesnake; and he has been considered as deaf, because he is easily surprised, and does not appear to hear the noise of your approach.
It belongs to the genus scytalus of Daudin, &c., which differs from the Boa of Linnæus, as the genus Vipera does from Coluber, being provided with fangs. I have given to it the name of Scytalus Cupreus, which means coppered scytalus. The following definition of the species may be considered as comparative and characteristic.
Scytalus Cupreus. Tail one-eighth of total length, with 45 caudal plates entirely brown; 150 abdominal plates, the last very broad; head oval, coppered above, yellow underneath; scales carinated on the back, which is coppered, with reddish brown rings cross-shaped; belly variegated of brownish.
Description. Total length about three feet; body thicker than in the innocent snakes. Head large, broad, oval, obtuse, very distinct from the neck, nearly two inches long, flattened, coppered brown above, and covered with large, smooth scales; yellow underneath, as well as the neck, and with rhomboidal smooth scales. Mouth very large; fangs yellowish white. Back flattened anteriorly, a little angular in the middle, covered with small rhomboidal, obtuse, keeled scales; those of the sides larger and smooth, not keeled; centre of the back of a brownish copper colour; sides of a bright copper; broad bands or rings, becoming forked on each side, and assuming nearly the shape of a St. Andrew's cross; they are of a reddish brown: there is a round spot opposite to the sinusses, and the scales of the sides are minutely dotted of brown. The abdominal plates are 150, beginning under the head; the last, covering the vent, is very broad, double the other: they are of a shining, pale copper colour, with two longitudinal and lateral rows of great, irregular, brown spots, with some light brownish clouds between them, and each plate is marginated of whitish. The belly is very flat and broad, about 1¼ inch in diameter; and the skin may be distended on the sides, when, the animal is not fed. Tail short, tapering gradually, about four inches long, cylindrical, brown, without spots, with 45 plates underneath, and having at the end a small, obtuse, horn claw, of an oblong, compressed, obtuse shape, and carinated underneath.
This snake has many of the habits of the rattlesnake; he is very slow in his motions, rather clumsy, owing to his thick shape and short tail. He retires in winter into caves, hollow rocks, and trees, where he lies, in a torpid state, from November to April; several have been found coiled up together, the head lying over the back: it is in the same situation he sleeps in the fields. When found in the torpid state, they may be carried without waking; but might wake in a warm room. They do not eat during all that time: their food consists of birds, frogs, mice, and even squirrels, which they catch by surprise, as they do not climb on trees. They kill their large prey by breathing a poisonous effluvia, crushing it in their folds, and they swallow it whole after covering it with their clammy saliva. They can remain a very long time without a meal, and one meal is a long time digesting.
They are generally found in meadows, pastures, and the edge of woods. They creep slovenly through the grass, and if surprised by the sight of man, they assume an erect and threatening posture, darting their tongue and swelling their head; but they do not attack men, unless alarmed and struck. They are considered more dangerous than the rattlesnake, because they do not give notice of their vicinity, and lie concealed in the grass; but they are easily killed, when assuming the threatening posture, by a slight touch of a cane, spade, or any other instrument. The effects of their bite is similar to that of the rattlesnake, and cured in the same way, by the prompt application of the Aristolochia serpentaria, Polygala senega, Prenanthes serpentaria, Macrotry serpentaria, &c. and other plants, bearing in consequence the name of snakeroots.
This snake is found in New-England, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, &c., and perhaps all over the United States.