. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology. 644 OPHIDIA CHAP. Sub-Fam. 2. Orotalinae (" Pit-Vipers ").—With a deep cavity or pit between the eye and the nose, lodged in the hoUowed- out maxillary bone. This pit is lined with a modified continua- tion of the epidermis, and is amply supplied with branches from the trigeminal nerve. It is undoubtedly sensory, but we do not know its function. A good anatomical account of this organ has been given by * Some of the Pit-Vipers have a rattle at the end of the tail; these are the Eattle-Snakes. The rattle is composed of a number of horny
. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology. 644 OPHIDIA CHAP. Sub-Fam. 2. Orotalinae (" Pit-Vipers ").—With a deep cavity or pit between the eye and the nose, lodged in the hoUowed- out maxillary bone. This pit is lined with a modified continua- tion of the epidermis, and is amply supplied with branches from the trigeminal nerve. It is undoubtedly sensory, but we do not know its function. A good anatomical account of this organ has been given by * Some of the Pit-Vipers have a rattle at the end of the tail; these are the Eattle-Snakes. The rattle is composed of a number of horny bells which fit into each other. The oldest or terminal bell is in reality the horny covering of the tip of the tail, and with each moult or shedding of the skin the youngest bell becomes loose, but is held by the new covering which has been developed in the meantime. There is thus produced an- ever-increasing number of loosely-jointed bells, ^'°T>^l^:,"~^^"'^ °^ but now and, then most or all the bells break Rattle-Snake. (From White'siTJs- off, probably when they are worn out, and a tory of sdborn,.) new Set is gradually developed. Eattles with a dozen bells are, for instance, very rare. They naturally increase in bulk with the age of the snake, but the number of joints is no indication of the snake's ICROTALINAE. h Pig. 176.—Map showing the distribution of the Suh-Family Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Harmer, S. F. (Sidney Frederic), Sir, 1862- ed; Shipley, A. E. (Arthur Everett), Sir, 1861-1927. ed. [London, Macmillan and Co. , Limited; New York, The Macmillan Company
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