Class HI. VIPER. 



27 



The viper grows feldom to a greater length than 

 two feet-, though once we faw a female (which is 

 nearly a third larger than the male) which was al- 

 moft three feet long. 



The ground-color of this ferpent is a dirty yel- Descrip. 

 low ; that of the female deeper. Its back is marked 

 the whole length with a feries of rhomboid black 

 fpots, touching each other at the points ; the fides 

 with triangular ones ; the belly entirely black. 



There is a variety wholly black - y but the rhom- 

 boid marks are very confpicuous even in this, 

 being of a deeper and more glofly hue than the 

 reft. Petiver calls it the Viper a Anglica Nigricans, 

 Pet. Muf. No. 204 *. 



The head of the viper is inflated, which diftin- 

 guifhes it from the common fnake. The tongue 

 forked \ the teeth fmall ; the four canine teeth are Teeth 

 placed two on each fide the upper jaw : thefe in- 

 ftruments of poifon are long, crooked, and move- 

 able, and can be raifed and deprefTed at pleafure ; 

 they are hollow from near the point to their bale, 

 near which is a gland that fecretes, prepares, and 

 lodges the poifon ; and the fame action that gives 

 the wounds, forces from this gland, through the 

 tooth, the fatal juice into it. 



Thefe iQands may be particularly thankful for 

 the bleiTing they enjoy, in being poiTelTed of only 



* Coluber Preiler. Lin.fyft. 377. Bote. Faun. Suec, No. 287. 



one 



