A rattlesnake head. The snake was 42 inches long, had 13 rattles and was with
three other rattlesnakes and a non-poisonous snake of about the same length.
The snake sheds it's skin 2-3 times a year, adding a rattle at each time.
The purpose of the rattle is to give an intruder a chance to avoid an accidental
encounter with the rattlesnake. There is a heat sensing pit located between each
nostril and eye. Because of the pit, it is called a "pit viper", a viper being any
poisonous snake. The pit enables "seeing" the warm bodies of prey at night.
The snake  uses it's bite to defend itself and to kill prey. Prey are swallowed
whole, this limits the maximum size of the prey. To bite, the snake opens it's
mouth exposing  two forward positioned fangs that function as hypodermic
needles. From a coiled body position, the head strikes  forward sinking the
two fangs  into the victim. The snakes were found in the "Back Forty" of a
farm. This was the first time over 50 years, that more than one snake at a time
was seen. On two occasions the photographer has stepped on a rattlesnake.
In both cases he was not bitten!!!! With proper medical care, most bites are not fatal.

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