Pichu-Cuate

New Mexico, Arizona and Mexico

Most probably extinct, Charles Fletcher Lumis mentions this snake in his book "The King of the Broncos". He claims it is the only true viper in America and is very small, being he width and length of a typical pencil and having a head smaller than a mans thumbnail. Yet he claims it to be the most fearless, ferocious, and venomous snake in North America. He says it is lead grey on top, rosy red on the bottom, with a distinctly triangular head and tiny horns. The natives of the area, who worship rattlesnakes and have no fear of them, are deathly afraid of the pichu-cuate. They all agree, however, that it is extrememly rare. All this was written nearly 100 years ago, and this little snake may very well be extinct now.