The single representative of this family (_Elapidae_) in Texas is small, slender, and brightly colored with rings of red, yellow and black. The head is small and rounded and eye pupils are circular. Its venom-conducting fangs, in the front of the upper jaw, are small and permanently erect; consequently, some chewing is required before the snake can inject its poison with certainty. As if to make up for its poor biting equipment, the coral snake possesses a venom of high toxicity, a venom much more potent than that of the pit vipers which are so well adapted for injecting their poison quickly and deeply. Because this poison produces scarcely any severe local symptoms, the danger from a bite may be overlooked and treatment delayed. Although pain is present, the usual dramatic symptoms of snake poisoning, such as extensive discoloration and great swelling at the site of bite, are scarcely noticeable. This absence of conclusive symptoms may lead the victim to believe he has been bitten by a harmless snake. In all coral snake bites, prompt action is necessary. TEXAS CORAL SNAKE _Micrurus fulvius tenere_ [Illustration: Left, coral snake; right, Mexican milk snake] Description—Generally less than two and a half feet long, this is our most colorful venomous snake and, at the same time, the least dangerous in appearance. Its small, narrow head, slender body and brightly colored pattern can be dangerously misleading. Children, especially, are inclined to pick it up because they are attracted by its colors and convinced that such beauty must be harmless. The pattern consists of red, yellow and black rings which encircle the body in the following order: a broad black ring, a much narrower yellow ring, a broad red ring, a narrow yellow ring, a broad black ring, and so on. Note that the red and yellow rings on the body touch one another. The snout is black and a broad yellow ring crosses the back of the head. Identification of this snake would be simple were it not for the fact that several harmless snakes resemble it in form and coloration. These mimics are marked with yellow, red and black rings—but the arrangement is consistently different from that of the coral snake. The red and yellow rings of the coral snake touch one another, while in the harmless forms these colors are separated by black rings. A simple rhyme adopted by Boy Scouts to help them associate “danger” with the color combination found on the coral snake is, “Red and yellow kill a fellow.” Remember this easy rhyme and, when you find yourself involved with a colorful little snake with adjacent red and yellow rings, be cautious.