84 OUR REPTILES. 



is more depressed and acutely pointed in front than 

 in the Viper, which latter has a characteristic blotch 

 something like the " death's head and thigh bones " 

 of the "death's head moth," on the top of its 

 cranium. Whether or not its venom is fatal, we 

 would strongly advise our readers not to permit the 

 Viper to make an experimental dart at their shins. 

 It is better to indulge in a shudder when only a 

 harmless snake crosses our path, than make the 

 mistake of hugging a viper to our bosom. 



Snakes or Vipers are not perhaps the easiest 

 of all animals to be determined by a novice ; at any 

 rate they will require some little observation at 

 first, until the eye is accustomed to see and recog- 

 nise the differences whereby one species may be 

 distinguished from another. There are nevertheless 

 some points of difference more than usually distinct 

 between the Viper and the Snake, which will be 

 apparent on comparing the descriptions and figures. 

 It may be premised that in depth and tone of 

 colour there is considerable variation in some rep- 

 tiles, and this is especially the case with the Viper, 

 so that no reliance should be placed on that as a 

 feature. In general colour it is often brownish or 

 olive, but this may become nearly black, or it may 

 be pallid grey, nearly white, or of a warm-red brown. 

 The markings, however, are more permanent, a dark 

 mark between the eyes, a spot on each side the 



