CHAP, VI. SPURTING SNAKE OF SOUTH AFRICA. 201 



front, are enabled to destroy it without much risk. 

 The snakes of Africa, as cf Europe, observes Dr. Bur- 

 chell, lie concealed in their holes, in a torpid state, 

 during the colder part of the year.* 



(214.) The last we shall enumerate is the common 

 viper, fortunately the only venomous species known to 

 us as a native. Its effects, at all times, are dreadful, 

 and in most cases fatal ; but we may safely omit the 

 distressing detail of all the symptoms which attend it. 



(215.) The serpents of which we have hitherto 

 spoken, inflict their venom by their bite ; but there is 

 one inhabiting Southern Africa, which has the singular 

 property of spitting forth a fluid which often blinds 

 the unfortunate person at whom it is aimed. " The 

 Spugslang, or spurting snake," observes professor 

 Lichtenstein, " is from three to four feet long, and has 

 the singular property of spurting out its venom, and of 

 giving it such a direction as to hit the eyes of the person 

 attacking him ; this is followed by violent pain, and so 

 strong an inflammation, that it will occasion the entire 

 loss of sight. Washing the eyes with warm water 

 is considered the best remedy. The bite also of this 

 serpent is said to be extremely dangerous." f The 

 same naturalist gives us a slight notice of a species of 

 poisonous spider of the same country, which measures, 

 when its legs are stretched out, upwards of four inches 

 in length.! We should be apt to think, from all these 

 accounts, which enumerate, in fact, but a small por- 

 tion of the serpent reptiles which are poisonous, that 

 the greatest number of the whole tribe are of this de- 

 scription ; but this inference would be altogether erro- 

 neous. Dr. Russell, who particularly studied the ser- 

 pents of India, assures us that, out of forty-three species 

 which he himself examined, not more than seven were 

 found to possess poisonous fangs. On comparing the 

 effect of the poison of five Oriental serpents upon brute 

 animals, with those occasioned by the bite of the rattle- 



* fjurchell's Travels, p. 4G9. + Lich. Travels, vol. i. p. 96. 



t Id. ibid. p. 349. 



