deatli-dealing serpent so close at liaiid seems to deprive man 

 and animal alike of all ])ow er of thought and locomotion, and 

 very often the next instant the fatal stroke or thrust [but not 

 bite] is delivered. The action of the stroke is lightning-like, 

 and must be seen to be appreciated. I have repeatedly seen 

 small animals succumb instantaneously to the influence of 

 the poison. A squeak, a few tremors passing through the 

 body, and the thread of life was cut asunder. Even hunting- 

 dogs, which are frequently bitten by our Water Moccasin 

 [A{/kisfro(lo)i j:>/s«ror?<s] without exhibiting more than some 

 distress and uneasiness attended for some hours by swelling^ 

 succumb quickly to the venom of our rattlesnakes. 



A few words explanatory of the apparatus which conveys 

 the fearful fluid may be in order. It may be divided into 

 three essential parts : the gland itself; a short canal or tube 

 and the fang. The latter is the hypodermic needle and the 

 gland and canal the hypodermic bulb-syringe. 



The principal bones of the poison apparatus are the ex- 

 ternal pterygoid, the internal pterygoid, the palatal, the 

 maxillary and the lachrymal. The spheno-pterygoid elevates 

 the fang ; the ecto-pterygoid depresses the fang, which, when 

 not erected, is hidden by a thick fold of skin— the vagina 

 dentis. The gland is situated at the base of the skull, bet- 

 Aveen the quadrate bone and inferior maxilla. The canal, 

 which first bends upwards and then downwards, does not 

 form a continuation of the cavity of the fang, but opens inde- 

 pendently on the surface of the maxillary bone. The venom 

 is prevented from being wasted by the tightening of the 

 vagina dentis, and forced by it to flow into and through the 

 anchylosed canal of the fang. The gland, being enveloped by 

 a coating of unstriated muscles, contracts and discharges some 

 of its contents at the momentthe action of thrust is performed. 



The venom itself is but a modification of the saliva in 

 other animals, and certainly proves a most powerful and rapid 

 digestive agent by causing putrefaction of the animal sub- 

 stances. The color of the poison varies from very pale to deep 

 yellow. Exposed to the air it dries rapidly, and on glass has 

 the appearance of varnish, but, unlike it or any similar liquid, 

 cracking in a very characteristic manner. In dessicated form, 

 or mixed with alcohol or glycerine, it Avill retain its vitality 

 indefinitely without losing any of its strength. If fresh venom 

 be alloAved to stand undisturbed in a vial for some time, it 

 becomes cloudy and finally a sediment will form at the bot- 

 tom, consisting of epithelial cells, micrococci and both red 



