Denise Schwartz, age 10, of New Springfield, Ohio, for her question:

Do other continents have rattlesnakes?

The rattle snake and his assortment of deadly cousins are natives of the New World. They range from the southern provinces of Canada, through the continental U.S., Mexico and Central America and way down into South America as far as Uruguay. Most of them lurk in the warm western desert regions of the Americas. But we may find at least one type of rattlesnake in almost any state. Sensible people learn how to recognize them and also which` types are lurking in their home states. When you plan a vacation trip, it is wise to discoverwhat types of rattler you may meet in the territory. There are about 28 different types and all of these native American snakes are equipped with deadly poisonous fangs.

The rattle is a row of bony beads at    the end of the snaky tail. Before striking, sometimes the venomous wiper rattles his rattles. But often he strikes without warning. The sneaky snake tends to lurk in shadowy hollows, ready to strike any person or warm blooded, animal who comes within range of his fangs. If you plan to visit the deserts and prairies of our wonderful West, learn what to do when a rattler strikes. And never, never go hiking in rattler territory without carrying an up date kit to treat rattlesnake bites.