176 



SUBKIXGDOM VEETEBRATA. 



They are more 

 dangerous than 

 the rattlesnake, 

 as they give no 

 warning.* 



The Adder, a 

 spotted snake of 

 New England, 

 though biting 

 severely, is not 

 poisonous. 



The so-called 

 Vipers are con- 

 fined to the Old 

 World. The 

 Cobra de capello 

 (Naj a tripu- 

 dians) of South- 

 ern Asia can ex- 

 pand the upper 

 part of its body 



* The percentage of 

 persons dying from the 

 effect of a snake-bite is 

 very small. In many 

 instances fear is more 

 fatal than the poison. 

 Hence the snake that 

 has bitten should be 

 immediately killed, 

 and its mouth exam- 

 ined for fangs. If they 

 are not found, all 

 anxiety may cease at 

 once, with regard to all 

 our land snakes. If dis- 

 covered, the only 

 known remedy is some 

 form of alcoholic drink, 

 which should be taken 

 as speedily as possible 

 in large quantities, till 

 intoxication results, 

 which is a sign that the 

 1 oison is neutralized. 



