Feared and reviled by many, venomous snakes are woefully misunderstood. This illustrated guide to 20 North American species clears up many of the misconceptions about the animals and offers a glimpse into their extraordinary lives. Covering everything from hunting, feeding, and locomotion to shedding, mating and reproduction the book also examines the difficulties that poisonous snakes and humans have coexisting and gives advice on how to act should you encounter a venomous snake in the field.