COTTONMOUTH (_Agkistrodon piscivorus_). Length 3-4 feet. The poisonous water moccasin has been taken only once in Kansas. This was on the Neosho River in Labette County at the Cherokee County line. It is on the basis of this single specimen that it is counted as one of the snakes of Kansas! The many general reports of water moccasins in Kansas refer to the mistaken identification of the harmless water snakes that are common throughout most of the state (see page 12). Young cottonmonths are patterned quite like a wide-banded copperhead, but the colors are not so reddish. These snakes are always found in the vicinity of water. When approached they quite often hold their ground and open their mouths widely, revealing the white lining of the mouth, a habit which gives them their common name. This heavy-bodied snake is dangerously poisonous and, contrary to popular belief, can bite underwater. [Illustration: Map] Whereas the copperhead is a rather mild-mannered snake, the cottonmouth has a vicious disposition. Although nocturnal, it likes to sun-bathe, and it is frequently seen basking along shorelines, stretched out on low branches or upon the bank. Where this snake occurs, it is usually common. Generally, eight or nine young are born in August or September, although the number of young may range from five to fifteen. Like the copperhead, the young have a yellow tail tip. [Illustration: COPPERHEAD] [Illustration: COTTONMOUTH] [Illustration: MASSASAUGA] [Illustration: WESTERN DIAMOND-BACK] [Illustration: TIMBER RATTLER] [Illustration: PRAIRIE RATTLER] Clarke MASSASAUGA (_Sistrurus catenatus_). Length 24-27 inches. This snake belongs to a group of small rattlesnakes called “ground” or “pygmy” rattlers, which are differentiated from the larger rattlers by having paired scales on top of the head, as have the copperhead, cottonmouth, and non-poisonous snakes. The massasauga occurs in open fields and rocky outcroppings. It is particularly common in the Flint Hills. This is the “prairie rattler” of eastern Kansas, often found under hay bales in fields. Its food consists primarily of small rodents. The small size and usually docile disposition of this snake tend to place it upon the non-dangerous list, but its venom is extremely toxic, and _any_ bite from a poisonous snake is dangerous. When aroused, these small snakes strike with a fury not seen in the larger snakes. The rattling of this small snake is hardly louder than the buzz of a grasshopper. [Illustration: Map] The name “massasauga” is an Indian term, meaning “swamp dweller,” a habitat preference which is evidenced more in the states to the northeast of Kansas.