decided interest and value as to the constituents of the venom, the chemical nature of the same, its pathological and physiological effects, and finally, review the various methods of treatment employed today in meeting the results of the bites of the venomous snakes and spiders found here. The classification of the different types, or divisions of serpents, I have found after running through several articles on the subject, that herpetological experts have varied so widely in their schematizations as to be decidedly confusing to any one but an expert. Brown's classification, found in his article, "Poisoning with Snake Venom," 20th Vol. Twentieth Century Practice of Medicine, has been adopted by me. "The great family of snakes, the order Ophidia, is divided into three divisions: Ophidia Colubriformia, which are void of a poison apparatus: Ophidia Colubriformia Venenosa, and the Ophidia Viperiforma. the last two composing the entire group of venomous serpents." Owing to the thoroughness of it, Stejneger's division of genera and species have been followed in arranging the venomous types of serpents found in Texas. The classification of spiders is after Riley. Texas contains, on account of the breadth of its domain, its varied climate, and near approach to, in its southwestern portion, the semi-tropics, the greatest variety of venomous serpents of any State in the Union. As to spiders, the two species found to be venomous, the Latrodectus Mactams and the Phidippas Tripunctatus, together with the entire group of spiderlike species, the Tarantula, are within its borders. Both species of the coral snake family, Elapidae genus Elaps, Schneider, the Elaps Fulvius, Linnaeus, or Harlequin Snake, and the Sonoran Coral, or Elaps Euryxanthus, Kennicott, both commonly called Coral, Thunder and Lightning or Bead Snakes, are here. These are the true American Cobra. Habits, ground burrowers; found in sweet potato patches; disposition, mild; food, other reptiles; bite, very venomous; three deaths reported by Stejneger in Texas. United States distribution, east of the Great Colorado River, west Continental Divide, as far north as Fort Whipple, south, into Old Mexico. Its bite demands prompt systemic treatment. In appearance, outside of the great differentiating sign, 11-Trans. separating venomous from non-venomous snakes of only one or two functionating fangs, on upper jaw, in opposition to two complete rows of teeth in non-venomous serpents, it differs from its mimic, the well-known King snake, one of the Lampropeltus genera, in its color schema. In the Coral snake we have a broad band of black, bordered by a narrow yellow band. In the King, a broader yellow than black band. Of the family of Crotalidiae, the type properly spoken of as the "Pit Vipers" (on account of the presence of a depression situated on either side of the head, between the nose and eye), we have three divisions. Stejneger's synopsis is brief and as follows: Tail without rattle, ending in a point, genus, Agkistrodon, Beauvois. Species, Agkistrodon Contortix Linnaeus, commonly called Copperhead, Upland Moccasin, Chunk-head, Deaf Adder or Pilot Snake. Species, Agkistrodon Pascivorus Lacepede. Water Moccasin, Cotton-Mouth. Tail provided with a rattle; (a) shield, genus, Sistrurus, Garman. Massassauga. Top of head covered by regular Species, Sistruras Catenatus Consors-Baird and Girard, Gulf coast, Massassauga. Species, Sistruras Catenatus Miliarus, Linnaeus-Ground Rattle Snake. Sub-species, Sistruras, Catenatus, Edwardsii-Baird and Girard. (b) Top of head covered by numerous scales; genus, Crotalus— Linnaeus. Species, Crotalus Molossus-Baird and Girard-Dog-faced Rat-tle Snake. Crotalus Horridus-Linnaeus-Banded Rattle Snake, Timber Rattle Snake. Crotalus Adamantous-Beauvois-Diamond Back Rattler, Water Rattle Snake; Crotalus Atrox-Baird and Girard-Texas Rattle Snake. Crotalus Confluentus Say, Prairie Rattle Snake. Crotalus Cerestes, Hallowell-Horned Rattler (?); Crotalus Lepidus, Kennicott-Green Rattler. The color schema, separating these various genera and specie will |