62 



VIPERID.E. 



with the velocity of thought. It is found by experiment 

 that the effect of subsequent wounds is greatly diminished 

 either by the diminution of the quantity of venom, or by 

 some deterioration of its strength ; so that if a venomous 

 Serpent be made repeatedly to inflict wounds, without al- 

 lowing sufficiently long intervals for it to recover its powers, 

 each successive bite becomes less and less effective. A gen- 

 tleman of my acquaintance had some years since received a 

 living Rattlesnake from America. Intending to try the 

 effects of its bite upon some rats, he introduced one of these 

 animals into the cage with the Serpent ; it immediately struck 

 the rat, which died in two minutes. Another rat was then 

 placed in the cage ; it ran to the part of the cage farthest 

 from the Serpent, uttering cries of distress. The Snake 

 did not immediately attack it ; but after about half an hour, 

 and on being irritated, it struck the rat, which did not exhi- 

 bit any symptoms of being poisoned for several minutes, and 

 died at twenty minutes after the bite. A third, and remark- 

 ably large rat, was then introduced into the cage. It exhi- 

 bited no signs of terror at its dangerous companion, which, 

 on its part, appeared to take no notice of the rat. After 

 watching for the rest of the evening, my friend retired, leav- 

 ing 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 remember at what time 

 of the year this circumstance took place, but I believe it was 

 not during very hot weather. 



Although there is no reason to believe that the Viper em- 

 ploys this powerful means of destruction for the purpose of 

 disabling its prey before it is finally seized ; but, on the con- 

 trary, all the observations which have been made upon its 

 mode of feeding, tend to show that, like the Snake, it seizes 

 its prey at once, and immediately begins to swallow it ; yet it 



