KEPTILES. 



273 



venomous, the poison is contained in small glands 

 connected with the poison-fangs, which are two long 

 pointed teeth, having a groove or small canal leading 

 from the side of the tooth to the poison-bag, upon 

 which, when they bite, they press, and inject the poison 



PIG. 48. 1, ROCK SNAKE (Python molurus); 2, SPECTACLED SNAKE 

 (Cobra de Gapello) ; 3, BOA CONSTRICTOR. 



into the wound while the tooth is in the flesh. These 

 poison-fangs lie flat down when the creature is not 

 excited, but are drawn up by muscles, when they are 

 about to spring on anything. It is a common mistake 

 to think that Serpents have a " sting," arising from 

 their having a thin, long forked tongue, which they 

 protrude and retract with great rapidity, and which has 



