314 SNAKES 



ficacy. One of the most famous is the juice of a Peruvian 

 climbing plant, the vejuco de Imaco {Mikania Haaco, Kunth), 

 the remarkable properties of which were first discovered by a 

 negro, who observed that when the huaco, a kind of hawk which 

 chiefly feeds on snakes, has been bitten by one of them, it im- 

 mediately flies to the vejuco and eats some of its leaves. 



It is a well-known fact that serpentine poison may be 

 swallowed with impunity ; it shows its effects only on mixing 

 directly with the blood. A tight ligature above the wound, 

 along with sucking, burning, or cutting it out, are thus very 

 rational remedies for preventing the rapid propagation of the 

 venom. Suction is, however, not always unattended with danger 

 to the person who undertakes the friendly office. Thus Schom- 

 burgk relates the misfortunes of a poor Indian, whose son had 

 been bitten in the cheek. The father instantly sucked the 

 wound, but a hollow tooth conveyed the poison into his own 

 body. His cheek swelled under excruciating pains, and without 

 being able to save his son, his own health and vigour were for 

 ever lost. For such are the dreadful consequences of this poison, 

 that they incurably trouble the fountains of life. The wound 

 generally breaks open every year, emitting a very offensive 

 odour, and causes dreadful pains at every change of the weather. 



Although all the venomous snakes produce morbid symptoms 

 nearly similar, yet the strength of the poison varies according 

 to the species of the serpent, and to the circumstances under 

 which it is emitted. It is said to be most virulent during very 

 hot weather, when the moon changes, or when the animal is 

 about to cast its skin. The effects are naturally more powerful 

 and rapid when a larger quantity of poison flows into the wound, 

 and a snake with exhausted supplies from repeated bitings will 

 evidently strike less fatally than another whose glands are 

 inflated with poison after a long repose. 



Before describing some of the most conspicuous of the 

 venomous serpents, a few words on the simple but admirable 

 mechanism of their delicate but needle-like fangs will not be 

 out of place. Towards the point of the fang, which is invariably 

 situated in the upper jaw, there is a little oblong aperture on 

 the convex side of it, and through this there is a communication 

 down the fang to the root, at which lies a little bag containing 

 the poison. Thus, when the point of the fang is pressed, the 



