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"Canebrake"
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by Hellemar on August 31, 2003
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Hi...
I resantly got my hands on a nice looking pair canebrakes, Crotalus horridus atricaudatus, and Iīm, of course, very proud of having these snakes in my "collection"...
My question about "canebrake" is as follows - whatīs the origin/meaning of the word "canebrake" ? I canīt find any information about the word "canebrake" in any of my books, so I would be very thankful if you could help me...
Henke :)
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RE: "Canebrake"
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by TomT on August 31, 2003
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Definition: [n] a dense growth of cane (especially giant cane)
See Also: Arundinaria gigantea, brush, brushwood, cane reed, coppice, copse, giant cane, thicket
"Canebrake rattlesnakes" are often found in the coastal canebrakes in the regions these snakes inhabit...hence the common name for the snake.
Much in the same way their montaine cousins are found in the timber... hence the name "Timber Rattlesnakes."
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RE: "Canebrake"
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by Ferdelance_1 on September 1, 2003
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Tom,
Excellent answer! I should have known that, but didn't.
Why Canebreak instead of Canefield, (like in sugarcane field), Rattlesnake?
Might it be because this Rattlesnake crawls/slithers through the cane fields and breaks the cane stalks?
Not trying to be funny: just curious.
I have lived in the south for awhile, but had other priorities then, so I probably wouldn't have asked that question, nor heard about it though the grapevine.
Cheers,
Derek K.
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RE: "Canebrake"
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by Ferdelance_1 on September 1, 2003
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Very frusterated Poster:
If I could spell "Canebrake" that would help out a whole lot!
Too many posts in too many Forums lately.
Excuse Please:
Derek K.
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RE: "Canebrake"
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by TomT on September 1, 2003
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You hit on a subtle detail... if it were a rattlesnake that cause cane to break, then perhaps it would be canebreak...
Since the snakes are found (often) in canebrakes, they called them canebrake rattlers and the name stayed with them..
The "coastal plains" and "montaine" versions of Crotalus horridus are now considered to be the same species. I will never be convinced of the "fact" no matter how it's "proven" through DNA evidence... there are somethings that just don't add up and calling Canebrakes and Timbers the same is one of those things for me... I've never seen a "yellow" or "black" canebrake, yet those are pretty well the two choices you get with Timbers.... I do know that color doesn't stand up as a factor when describing species, but doesn't it seem odd to anyone else that no matter where you find Canebrakes along their range they all look about the same? Canebrakes do not produce babies polymorphically and Timber females will often produce yellow *and* black babies within a single litter of young? I could rattle on but I won't...
The question was, and is, how the snakes got that peculiar name, and as far as I know they were called what they are called because of where they are frequently found...in the canebrakes.
TomT
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RE: "Canebrake"
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by Buzztail1 on September 1, 2003
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Canebrake origin:
from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary:
Main Entry: 2brake
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, fern, probably back-formation from braken bracken
Date: 14th century
: the common bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum)
Canebrakes are the lowland swamp version of the Timber Rattlesnake. The term "Canebrake" comes from the early Americans finding them in the "brakes" or bracken swamp lowlands surrounding the cane fields.
Hope this helps,
Karl
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RE: "Canebrake"
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by Ferdelance_1 on September 1, 2003
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Tom & Karl,
Thanks for the additional info with regard to the "Canebrake" Rattlesnake.
Very interesting!
Best Regards,
Derek K.
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RE: "Canebrake"
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by jared on September 1, 2003
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Karl, would it have anything to do with envenomation reactions as well. I know Durissus ssp are commonly called neckbrakers in there part of the world due to the reaction of the neuro venom (IE it looks like they have broken there neck). So could that be a possibility as well, slang in the early days of Iding native rattlers? Just curious,
Jared
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