8 JO VRNAL, BOMB A Y NA TURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVI II. 



at once. On the other hand it is not unusual for Russell's viper to bite, 

 and maintain a tenacious grasp for many seconds. In the case of 

 a gunner who succumbed to the bite of this snake at Thayetmyo 

 (Burma) in 1862, Nicholson* mentions that it was with difficulty 

 shaken off. Elliotf mentions a dog bitten by one, dragging the snake 

 many yards before disengaging it, and one might quote many more 

 similar experiences. 



Poison apparatus. — The fangs. — These attain their maximum deve- 

 lopment in this the largest of the Indian vipers. There may be a single 

 one in each maxilla, or two fixed side by side. In a depression at its 

 I) . >, and on the outer side, as many as 5 or 6 reserve fangs may be 

 seen lying loosely in the mucous membrane, progressively diminishing 

 in size from within outwards. When one of the fixed fangs is shed, 

 the reserve fang best developed, and lying nearest to it, becomes 

 cemented in a few days into the jaw. 



The fang is tubular, being formed by the folding over of two lateral 

 expansions of the tooth, which blend on its anterior face, in the major 

 part of its length. A groove which is feebly discernible, but always 

 present, marks the line of junction uf these two expansions. At its 

 base the expansions fail to meet, and the impeifect blending is marked 

 by an aperture. The canal terminates near the point of the tooth in a 

 min ate opening. 



The fangs in vipers are very mobile or to speak more correctly, the 



maxillae are, for the fangs are fixed 

 into these bones. Russell's viper, like 

 other vipers, when it yawns, fre- 

 quently rocks its maxillse forwards 

 and backwards. 



Glands. — These sacs compared with 

 the cobra's are small, and present a 

 corrugated appearance unlike the 

 smooth retort-shaped glands of the 

 cobra. Elliot J obtained 11 drops 

 from the 2 glands of an adult. Wall 11 



A. 



B 



. A. B. C. 



Inner aspect of fang (life size^ the 

 lower oririce of the canal is inclin- 

 ed slightly inwards. 

 Anterior aspect (Jife size) showing 

 seam where the two edges have 

 been welded. 

 C. Tip (enlarged) showing lower orifice 

 and point, closely resembling tip 

 of hypodermic needle. 



* Ind. Snakes, p. 140. 



t Trans Brit. Med. Association, S. Ind. br. 189, p. 7. 



J Loc. cit..p. 33. 



f Indian Snake Poisons, p. 113. 



