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This book is the monograph of the eastern diamondback rattlesnake by D. Bruce Means. Its publication is a culmination of over 40 years of long-term, in-depth study of the world's largest rattlesnake, Crotalus adamanteus. In the preface Means writes, "The limited biological knowledge available for this species is all the more amazing when one considers the economic impact of Crotalus adamanteus. Because of its large size and highly toxic venom, it is arguably the most dangerous venomous snake in the United States and Canada, accounting for more human mortality than any other species (Klauber 1972; Parrish 1980). Its ecological importance may be even more significant, however. The eastern diamondback is a major predator of the cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus), a significant crop pest that is probably the most abundant rodent in the southeastern United States (Lowery 1974). Moreover, the eastern diamondback, which weighs up to about thirteen pounds (5.9 kilograms), is the largest cold-blooded terrestrial vertebrate living in the temperate zones of the earth (Means 1985)."
Excerpt from The Natural History of Mexican Rattlesnakes Beginning in November, 1966, studies on rattlesnakes (genera Crotalus and Sistrurus) and other pit Vipers were initiated at the Dallas Zoo which included techniques for maintenance and disease treatments, in conjunction with Observations on captive and wild populations. Maintenance techniques and disease treatments have been published in an earlier contribution. The results of our studies on the ecology and natural history of Mexican rattlesnakes are contained in the present account. Since numerous behavioral sequences were difficult to record in the field, many rattlesnakes were maintained in the laboratory. Over one hundred and twenty-five captive individuals, comprising over 50 taxa (including forms indigenous to the United States) were avail able for study. We have attempted to Show the value of a multifaceted ap proach to the study of a body of organisms by beginning with field Observations as a basis for understanding, followed by maintenance in the captive state whereupon specimens can be placed upon death in a systematic museum collection. This arrangement allows an investigator to examine various aspects of an animal's being by recording data which would be virtually impossible to record in the field. Further, this combined approach maximized our abili ties as one Of us is somewhat incompetent in the field and the other is an erratic animal keeper. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
The first volume contains species accounts of the venomous lizards and elapid and viperid snakes found north of Mexico's twenty-fifth parallel. Volume two covers the twenty-one species of rattlesnakes found in the United States, Canada, and northern Mexico.
In this entertaining book, first published in 1992, Thomas Palmer introduces us to a community of rattlesnakes nestled in the heart of the urban Northeast. Recognizing the unexpected proximity of rattlers in our urban environs, he examines the ecology, evolution, folklore, New England history, and American culture that surround this native species.
In this comprehensive and abundantly illustrated book, Allan Schoenherr describes a state with a greater range of landforms, a greater variety of habitats, and more kinds of plants and animals than any area of equivalent size in all of North America. A Natural History of California will familiarize the reader with the climate, rocks, soil, plants and animals in each distinctive region of the state.
