150 The Natural History 



curled at the end. The Teeth upon the upper Chop are very 

 long and crooked like a Sickle, and upon either side it hath 

 four; those upon the lower Chop, are so small that they can 

 scarce be observed by the naked Eye, neither can the length 

 of the Teeth be seen excejDt you take away the little Bladder 

 in which they lie concealed, in this Bladder it carries Poy- 

 son, which it infuseth into the Wounds it makes with its 

 Teeth. The Scales of a Viper are more sharp than a Snake's; 

 it lies for the most part Quoiled up like a Raitle-Snake. 

 In the Viper there is nothing venemous but the Head and 

 Gall, which are cast away as useless. It is a sharp sighted, 

 crafty, and venemous Creature, biting those that suddenly 

 pass by it. The Viper is said to conceive Eggs within her, 

 which she does not lay after the manner of other Serpents; 

 but in her Body they are hatched into living Vipers. For as 

 Pliny reporteth, that of all Creatures that want Hair, the 

 Viper and the Dolphin only bring forth their Young with 

 Life. It is likewise reported, that after they have ingen- 

 dered, the Female destroys the Male, and feeds on him ; and 

 that the Young Ones eat their way out of their Female's 

 Belly, when she is ready to bring them forth, and feed on her 

 'till they are able to fend for themselves. But how true this 

 may be, I will not take upon me to determine; but this I 

 am certain of, that I have killed several of them and after 

 having opened them, have found fifteen or more young ones 

 alive in the Female's Belly. The bitting of the Viper is 

 mortal, and kills within three Days at farthest, if not speed- 

 ily cured; the Poyson is universal, as if the Body were set 

 on Fire with violent Convulsions, Weakness, cold Sweats, 

 Vomiting, and then Death. At first the Poyson may be 

 sucked out by applying the Anus of a Hen to the part after 

 Scarification, or else a Plaster of Garlick, Onions, and Ven- 

 ice-Treacle, 



