VIPER. 225 



poisonous. The latter are, in general, easily distinguished 

 from the others by their large, flattish, and somewhat 

 heart-shaped heads, and rather long than short bodies and 

 tails. 



Viper or Adder. These are the only poisonous ser- 

 pents that are known in the British Islands. They 

 frequent, for the most part, dry and stony places ; and 

 are generally very abundant in chalky countries. They 

 are said to swarm in many of the Hebrides, or Western 

 islands of Scotland. The poison is conveyed into the 

 wound through two slender fangs on each side of the 

 upper jaw, and not, as ignorant people imagine, by a 

 sting at the extremity of the tail. The best remedy for 

 the bite of the Viper is to rub the wounded part 

 strongly with salad oil. The females produce their 

 young ones alive, from eggs which are hatched within 

 their own body. These are usually ten or twelve in 

 number, and are agile and nimble from the moment they 

 make their appearance in the light. For some time 

 after their birth they are said occasionally to retreat for 

 shelter and security into the mouth of the parent. 

 These animals live on frogs, toads, lizards, and mice, 

 which they swallow whole. This, in consequence of 

 the loose articulation of their jaws they are able to do 

 even when their prey is considerably thicker than their 

 own body. Vipers, like all other serpents, are capable 

 of supporting a total abstinence from food for several 

 successive months. They pass the winter in a torpid 

 state. Their flesh was formerly esteemed salutary for 

 consumptive persons, but it is at present in very little 

 request. 



Vipers are generally about two feet in length, of a 



L 5 



