British Reptiles and Amphibians 



victim before eating it. So that it may do this 

 satisfactorily it is furnished with poison fangs. Fig. 2 

 indicates the position of these fangs, and shows that 

 there is a reserve fang to take the place of the one in 

 active use should it be broken. This provision is very 



Fig. 2. — Head and Anterior Portion of the Body of the Adder. 



G, Poison fang ; E, reserve fang. 



(From Schmeil's "Text-Book of Zoology.") 



necessary because the fangs are so brittle that they are 

 liable to breakage. These fangs are not fixed like 

 teeth, but are in a manner hinged, so that they may lie 

 inside folds in the mouth and thus not be in the way 

 when food is being swallowed or when the mouth is 



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