Chap. 62.] THE TEETH OF SERPENTS. 5/ 



are by far the largest in those animals which have serrated 

 teeth. Those animals which have continuous rows of teeth, 

 have them either situate on both sides of the mouth, as in 

 the horse, or else have no fore-teeth in the upper part of the 

 mouth, as is the case with oxen, sheep, and all the animals 

 that ruminate. The she-goat has no upper teeth, except the 

 two front ones. No animals which have serrated teeth, have 

 them protruding ls from the mouth ; among these, too, the fe- 

 males rarely have them ; and to those that do have them, they 

 are of no 19 use: hence it is, that while the boar strikes, the 

 sow bites. jSo animal with horns has projecting teeth ; and 

 all such teeth are hollow, while in other animals the teeth are 

 solid. All 20 fish have the teeth serrated, with the exception 

 of the scarus, 21 this being the only one among the aquatic 

 animals that has them level 22 at the edges. In addition to 

 this, there are many fishes that have teeth upon the tongue 

 and over the whole of the mouth, in order that, by the multi- 

 tude of the bites which they inflict, they may soften those 

 articles of food which they could not possibly manage by 

 tearing. Many animals, also, have teeth in the palate, and 

 even in the tail ; 23 in addition to which, some have them in- 

 clining to the interior of the mouth, that the food may not 

 fall out, the animal itself having no other means of retaining 

 it there. 



CHAP. 62. THE TEETH OF SEEPESTS ; THEIR POISON. A BIRD 



WHICH HAS TEETH. 



The asp also, and other serpents, have similar teeth ; but in 

 the upper jaw, on the right and left, they have two of extreme 

 length, which are perforated with a small tube in the interior, 



18 The morse and the dugong are instances to the contrary. 



19 The females of the elephant, morse-, dugong, cheyrotin, and muntjac 

 have tbem, and they are equally as useful as with the male, only, perhaps, 

 not so strong. 



20 This is incorrect, unless he merely means ranged in one continuous 

 line ; and even then he is in error. 



21 See B. ix. c. 29. This is called the parrot-fish, from the resemblance 

 of its upper and lower jaws to the beak of a parrot. 



22 They present this appearance from being worn away at the surface. 



23 Rondelet would read'" gula," the throat. This, though repudiated 

 by Hardouin, is approved of by Cuvier, who justly looks upon the ordinary 

 reading as an absurdity. Many fish, he says, and more especially the 

 osseous ones, have teeth in the pharynx. 



