364 



OF VENOMOUS SERPENTS, AND THOSE THAT 

 ARE NOT SO. 



The poison of serpents has for ages been considered 

 as an object worthy the attention of a reflecting; mind, 

 and to those who reside in countries where these destruc- 

 tive animals abound, few studies can prove of so im- 

 portant a kind. In all this venomous class of reptiles 

 there are two large fangs or teeth, that issue beyond the 

 rest from the upper jaw; and tbese instruments of de- 

 struction are only attached to those animals in which 

 the corrosive liquid is to be found. The wounds in- 

 flicted by the fangs produce tlie most daugerous effects, 

 as from being hollow they serve for a channel through 

 which the poison passes into the lacerated part, and 

 at the root, of these is placed a bag of thick yellowish 

 liquor, which, though it may be swallowed without 

 danger, will prove fatal if once injected into the veins. 

 This circumstance will no longer appear extraordinary, 

 when we consider that milk, that palatable and nutri- 

 tious beverage, will have the same destructive effect if 

 put into the veins instead of being taken as food. 



The malignant kind of this race of animals are very 

 inferior to the harmless ones in size, and are seldom 

 known to exceed nine feet : their food chiefly consists 

 of the smaller kind of prey, such as birds, moles, toads, 

 and lizards, so lhat they never attack those formidable 

 animals that would not be likely to die unrevenged ; 

 they generally, therefore, lurk in the clifts of roeks, 

 twine round the different branches of trees, or repose 

 beneath the shade of some high grass ; and if by acci* 

 dent they should there be trod upon, the careless pas-- 

 sengcr instantly feels their effect. 



In the Eastern and Western Indies, there are a va- 

 riety of these noxious animals, but wc are 7 only ac-* 



