376 BLACK VIPER. 



colour ; being of a deep black, with an indistinct 

 appearance of the dorsal band of a still more in- 

 tense colour : the edges of the lips are bordered 

 with whitish specks, and in some specimens the 

 reck and tail are marked with a few indistinct 

 yellowish spots. Mr. Pennant, in the British 

 Zoology, considers it as a mere variety of the com- 

 mon viper ; but by others, and particularly by 

 Laurenti, it is regarded as a distinct species ; and 

 is ranked as such in the Sy sterna Naturae of Lin- 

 naeus. It is generally supposed to be equally poi- 

 sonous with the common Viper : yet if the Austrian 

 Black Viper of Laurenti be really the same kind 

 with that found in other parts of Europe, it should 

 seem to be innoxious : but perhaps the specimens 

 which he made use of in conducting his experi- 

 ments had either not arrived at their full size and 

 vigour, or had previously discharged their poison 

 by biting other animals: since the pigeons and 

 chickens which he exposed to its fury, were no 

 otherwise injured than by mere puncture, without 

 suffering any symptoms of poison. 



