DENTITION. 361 



life In a minute of time ! From the effects observed on 

 victims, I am inclined to place these large African vipers 

 amon^-st the most venomous of all serpents of their 



size. 



It may be of interest to remark that the fang of the 

 baby viper found loose in its mouth does not resemble those 

 remaining, either in form or structure. That it cannot be 

 a jaw tooth is evident from its size. Jaw and palate teeth 

 there are, but discernible only to the touch, and under a 

 magnifying glass. The fixed fang from the side on which 

 I found this loose one, is a trifle shorter, and much finer 

 than its fellow. In the loose one here given I can hardly 

 discern any involution at all, but on touching it with the 

 inky point of a fine needle, the stain shows it be hollow, 

 and clearly so, at its base. In the two fixed fangs, however, 

 the involution is so incomplete that, minute as they are, the 

 point of a very fine needle can be drawn all down them 

 without slipping off. 



One of them, the larger, on being touched with ink, 

 revealed this open groove or incomplete involution so 

 distinctly that I tried the other and was convinced at once. 

 The loose one may be a first and only half-developed fang. 

 They are almost as transparent as glass. I requested the 

 keeper to look into the mouths of those subsequently dead, 

 but he found no other loose fangs. Of the remaining forty- 

 five deceased, let us hope those into whose hands they have 

 fallen will be able to throw some further light on the 

 development of fangs in very young vipers. Fayrer tells us 

 that a young cobra is not venomous until it has cast its first 

 skin, which is usually within a fortnight. White of Sclbornc 



