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Eds Times & Delta
Gentlemen – When
any one makes a public mis statement
and finds himself in error it becomes
him to make an early retraction
correct himself at once –
In an [illegible] a note added to to the circular
of the Northwestern University which you were so kind to publish I stated
that through your paper, that the
only poisonous reptiles known in Illinois
were the Rattlesnakes and copperhead –
Since These two Rattlesnakes (several species) and the copperhead with the moccassin
snake of the south are the only poisonous
venomous reptiles known in the union,
and as the moccassin is considered to
be strictly a southern species I thought
it impossible that it could exist as far north as this - But southern
Illinois possesses a wonderful climate
But last season while on a visit in the Mississip
bottom in Union Co last year I was undecieved
by the production a person who
brought me a most indubitable big
ugly moccassin – here called “cotton mouth” -
generally I believe - while a large and ugly but harmless water snake
goes under the incorrect name of “Moccassin” –
Upon examination I find this species –
- (the venomous moccasin or cottonmouth
Toxicophis piscavoris of book the books) - to
be rather common in some of the lakes and
creeks of southern Illinois and it is though it is certainly unknown
doubtless found from here southward to
the Gulf but
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