VENOMOUS SNAKES. 4! 
to some herpetologists this arrangement must appear rather forced, 
as his Venomous Colubrine Snakes have certainly a much nearer 
resemblance in other respects to the Co/wbrid@ than they have to the 
Viperine Snakes. Yor the most part, these Reptiles are provided 
with numerous teeth, which are lengthened, conical, thin, and pointed 
like a needle, and more or less bent backwards. 
In Dr. Giinther’s frst sub-order, that of Mon-venomous Snakes, the 
teeth are either entirely smooth, or only the last of the maxillary 
series is provided with a faint longitudinal groove, which is not 
intended to convey a virus into the wound, the groove appearing 
rather to increase the strength of the tooth. Many of them have 
long teeth in front of the jaws or of the palate, but these are never 
grooved or perforated, and only serve to afford a firmer hold on the 
living and struggling prey. 
“‘ The structure of the venom-tooth is not the same in all poisonous 
Snakes ; in some it is fixed to the maxillary bone, which is as long, 
or nearly as long, as in the non-venomous Snakes, and generally 
bears one or more ordinary teeth on its hinder portion. The venom- 
tooth is fixed, more or less erect, not very long, and its channel is 
generally visible as an external groove. The poisonous Snakes with 
such a dentition have externally a more or less striking resemblance 
to the non-venomous Serpents, and on this account they are designated 
as Venomous Colubrine Snakes, forming our second sub-order.” Two 
very distinct families are here brought together—viz., the Elapide 
(which comprises the Cobras and many others), and the Aydrophide 
(or Sea Snakes). 
“In the other venomous Snakes, composing the ¢hird sub-order, 
the maxillary bone is extremely short, and does not bear any teeth 
except an exceedingly long fang, with a perfectly closed externally 
invisible channel in its interior. Although this tooth also is fixed to 
the bone, the bone itself is very mobile, so that the tooth, which is 
laid backwards when at rest, can be erected the moment the animal 
prepares to strike. This tooth or fang, like all the other teeth, is 
not only occasionally lost, but appears to be shed at regular intervals. 
From two to four other venom-fangs, in different stages of develop- 
ment, destined to replace the one in action, exist between the folds 
of the gum, and are not anchylosed to the bone.” The more charac- 
teristic venomous Snakes appertain to this sub-order—viz., the two 
families Crota/ide (comprehending the Rattlesnakes, the Fer-de-Lance, 
&c.) and Viperide (comprising the Vipers, Puff Adders, &c.) 
Let it be particularly borne in mind that the supposed dis- 
tinguishing characters of all poisonous Snakes, as assigned by sundry 
re * 
