About this photo:

This snake looks ferocious, but it is all an act. This is one of the most harmless snakes around, one that is not known to bite even when handled. We stopped at the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge on a drive back from Houston to Austin. The refuge represents a small detour that is usually worth the trouble. On this day in March, 2004, we didn't find much in the way of avifauna, but the flowers were nice. This guy was in the middle of the road. When we stopped to check it out, he started his performance, giving us a chance to snap this photo.

If the threat performance proves ineffective, the snake often tries playing dead. It sometimes vibrates its tail in dry leaves to sound like a rattlesnake.