SNAKES IN RELATION TO MAN 135 



In Brazil, where the number of accidents is esti- 

 mated at 19,200 per annum, and that of fatal cases 

 at 4,800, over 2,000 snakes (Lachesis and Crotalus) are 

 brought annually to the Serotherapic Institute of 

 Batantan, in the province of S. Paolo, for the prep- 

 aration of the antitoxic serum, which is given in 

 exchange for the snakes. According to the latest 

 report of the Institute (191 1), two serums are dis- 

 tributed : the anti-crotaline (for Rattlesnake bite) 

 and the anti-bothropine (for Lachesis bite) ; the 

 third, the anti-elapine (for Coral-snake bite), is in 

 course of preparation. 



In many countries a premium has for years been 

 paid for the heads of poisonous snakes, and has led 

 to the destruction of enormous numbers of them, 

 without, however, resulting in a very appreciable 

 diminution of the dangerous reptiles. More than 

 £12,000 has been spent for this purpose in India alone ; 

 the numbers destroyed in 1885 and 1886 throughout 

 British India amount to 420,044 and 417,596 respec- 

 tively. About forty years ago the Governor of St. 

 Lucia offered a reward of 4d. for every Fer-de-Lance's 

 head. But the negroes caught them alive and bred 

 families of snakes for the sake of the reward, and 

 thereby made what was for them a little fortune, these 

 snakes bringing forth up to sixty young at a birth. 

 The reward had to be abolished very soon. 



Now about the Vipers of Europe, the only really 

 dangerous snakes of this part of the world. 



