348 SNAKES. 



Some of the teeth increase in size posteriorly, others are largest 

 anteriorly ; others, again, are larger towards the middle 

 of the jaw, and decrease at either end. Some harmless 

 snakes have ' fangs,' that is to say, fang-like teeth, but not 

 connected with any poison gland, and at the back instead 

 of the front of the jaw. Again, there are some non- venomous 

 species that have the power of moving these fang-like 

 teeth, raising or depressing them as vipers move their fangs, 

 and as v/ill be further described presently. Some grooved 

 teeth convey an acrid saliva, others are without any modi- 

 fication of saliva, the long teeth being of use in holding 

 thick-skinned prey. 



Thus we find every gradation both in number and in 

 form until we come to the true fang, the ' murderous tooth ' 

 of the terrible cobra, the hydrophidcs, and the viperidce. And 

 noteworthy it is that the fewer the teeth in the maxillary 

 bone the more terrible are they. Fig. A of the four 

 illustrations given opposite is the jaw-bone of the Indian 

 Rat snake, Ptyas vmcosus^ already ' honourably mentioned ' 

 in these pages. The illustration being taken from Fayrer's 

 TJianatopJiidia, may be received as a faithful representation. 

 This conveys a good idea of jaw^s generally in non-venomous 

 snakes of that size, say from six to ten feet long. In some 

 of the smaller kinds the jaw and palate teeth are so fine 

 as to be almost imperceptible to the naked eye. To the 

 touch they feel like points of the finest pins. Draw your 

 finger along or press it against a row of 'minikin pins,' 

 and you will form a correct idea of these tiny weapons. 

 I have often felt when I could not see them in the mouth 

 of a small harmless snake. Pass the tip of your little finger 



