EXPEKIMENTS WITH POISONOUS SNAKES. 

 -COBKA, PUFF-ADDER, AND CEEASTES. 



I HAVE read with interest the account of F.Z.S., 

 in No. 46 of LAND AND WATER, Dec. 1866, in 

 which he describes his experience of a cobra. I 

 therefore take the liberty of sending you the follow- 

 ing account of a series of experiments on snakes 

 which I have been fortunate enough to be able to 

 make, with the view of obtaining information as to 

 the poisonous properties of the different species. 

 Venomous snakes shed their fangs several times a 

 year, besides being liable to have them broken 

 when striking at or swallowing their prey. To 

 supply this want there are always other teeth in 

 various stages of development on each side, behind 

 those in use, so that, should one be broken or 

 injured by any accident, another is always ready to 

 supply its place. A curious fact in reference to 

 poisonous reptiles consists in the circumstance that 



E 



