Rattler! The very word inspires fear and fascination. Everyone has a strong opinion about rattlesnakes, even though very few people will ever see one 'in the wild'. Indeed, most people avoid the places where rattlesnakes live, and others would like to see them exterminated altogether. Yet many of us are drawn to them at zoos and side-shows, just as we are drawn to other predators. Although rattlesnakes are much smaller than humans, they can deal out death in the blink of an eye. If they hunted them, the American countryside would be a very dangerous place. Fortunately for their survival, rattlesnakes prefer to avoid confrontation whenever possible. Despite the myths and stories that surround rattlesnakes and the evolutionary importance of these snakes, how much do we actually know about them? This excellent book provides the answers to the most frequently asked questions. It explains how the 30 different species of rattlesnakes, which form a branch of the viper family, have evolved a unique appendage on the end of their tail. This informative history of the two main rattlesnake genera - Crotalus and Sistrus - includes a full profile of each species, distribution maps, details of habits and habitats, and superb colour photographs.