204 FAUNA OF SHROPSHIRE 



any interest in her progeny. He mentions this, however, 

 because it appears to be a * local ' instance, and is there- 

 fore worth quoting, and if the reptile really was a Snake, 

 the fact is doubly strange. There are cases on record 

 of fatal results following the bite of a Viper, in this 

 country, though they are rare ; the bite, however, causes 

 severe pain and sickness, and it is therefore well to know 

 how to remedy or mitigate its effects. The first 

 thing to do is to suck vigorously at the wound (which 

 can be seen as two tiny blue spots on the skin), to draw 

 out the venom as much as possible [no one need fear to 

 do this as the venom is not a poison, even if swallowed.] 

 Next, apply warm sweet oil, or liquid ammonia to it as 

 an outside dressing, and take dilute liquid ammonia (Sal 

 volatile), internally. The virulence of the poison depends 

 partly on the condition of the Viper at the time; if it 

 has not used its fangs for some time the venom bags will 

 be quite full and the quantity of poison injected into the 

 wound will be considerable, but if it has used its fangs 

 not long before, the bags will be partially emptied and 

 consequently less venom will be injected. Hot weather 

 increases the rapidity of the poison's action. If the 

 Viper's mouth be examined a second rudimentary pair 

 of poison fangs will be found at the rear of the front 

 pair, and should one of these be lost by accident, it is 

 replaced by the development of the smaller one behind 

 it. The Viper will climb trees to rob birds' nests ; an 

 instance is related by Rev. J. T. Lea (Shropsh. Archceol. 

 Soc. Trans., 1889), in which a boy climbing up to a nest 

 in a tree near the Wyre Forest, found it occupied by one 

 of these reptiles, which saluted him with a hiss, and 

 would have bitten him had he not beat a hasty retreat. 



