Description.—This animal is of a fine shape: its size is rather above mediocrity, being about half a foot high, and the total length being twenty-seven inches, whereof nine form the tail. The general colour of the fur is of a drab brown, and it is neither coarse nor very fine. The head is elongated, oblong, about four inches long, shaped like that of a fox; the snout is narrow; the nose is black, notched, and granulated, furnished on each side with black whiskers, two inches long: there are three long black hairs, or vibrissa, above each eye, and a few shorter ones scattered behind them on the cheeks, chin, and tip of the lower jaw, which is white: the cheeks are whitish, and there is a white spot on the nape of the neck: the ears are large, broad, and white inside. There are three large, oblong spots, on the throat, breast, and belly; this last is the largest; that on the breast the smallest. The fore legs are shorter than the hind ones, and have, behind, three very long hairs or vibrissa: the feet and toes of all the legs are covered with long fur; the former have a dark brown or blackish ring, and the latter are of a dirty white: there are five long toes to all the feet, of which the inner one is the shortest; the nails are white, retractible, and shorter than the fur. The teeth are as in the genus Mustela, and white; those of the lower jaw are larger and stronger: the grinders are four on each side; they are broad, trifid, with the middle lobe sharp and very long: the tusks, or dogteeth, are very strong, curved, and approximated, leaving a very small place for the incisores, which are very small, very short, and flat; the two lateral ones on each side are situated diagonally, the second behind, and the two middle ones are only half the size of the others. The tail is bushy, particularly at the top, where there is a white pencil of long hairs; the brown of the remainder is darker than on the body.
From the above accurate description, it will appear evident that this animal is very different from the common marten of North America. It must be a ferocious little animal, and very fierce; which is indicated by the strength of the teeth.
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.