208 



OPHIDIA. VIPER AD^. 



the rest of the evening, my friend retired, leaving 

 the Serpent and the rat together ; and on rising 

 early the next morning, to ascertain the fate of 

 his two heterogeneous prisoners, he found the 

 Snake dead, and the muscular part of its back 

 eaten by the rat. I do not remem-ber at what time 

 of the year this circumstance took place, but I 

 believe it was not during very hot weather."* 



Though there are no external characters by 

 which the venomous Serpents may invariably be 

 distinguished from those which are harmless, yet 



HEADS OF VIPERAI)^. 



there is in most an aspect of malignity, which 

 well indicates their deadly character. Their 

 flattened head, more or less widened behind, so 

 as to approach a triangular figure, their wide 

 gape, and extensile tongue, and the sinister ex- 

 pression of their glaring eye, cause an observer to 

 retreat w"ith shuddering precipitancy. They are 



» " British Reptlies," 60. 



