156 ANIMAL LIFE OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



other Snakes. It is not amiable, indeed its temper may be 

 described as short and sulky, which it displays by refusing 

 all offers of food ; most captive Vipers die of starvation, the 

 "hunger strike" being their effective protest against the depriva- 

 tion of liberty. On being captured they are always ready to 

 bite ; but in a state of freedom the Viper is not the aggressive 

 monster that is popularly supposed. It seems to depend largely 

 upon its inactivity for escaping observation, but when it knows 

 it has been discovered its immediate impulse is to seek cover. 

 Accidents from Viper bites are rare in this country, where 

 people go about well shod, and there are very few cases of 

 authenticated death from this cause. On the Continent, how- 

 ever, such cases are frequent ; and it is suggested that in the 

 warmer parts of Europe, where bare feet are more numerous, 

 the Viper's venom may also be more active than it is here. It 

 is the toes or fingers that are most likely to be bitten, for the 

 Viper's mouth is not large enough to enable it to bite the larger 

 parts. The mechanism by which the poison is introduced 

 into the blood of its victim has been briefly described on 

 page 146. 



It must not be supposed from the foregoing remarks that we 

 deprecate caution in dealings with the Viper ; but we do desire, 

 if possible, to dispose of that senseless fear that is unworthy of 

 man. If the victim is in bad health the bite of the Viper may 

 involve very unpleasant consequences even death, but this is 

 much more likely to follow from the sting of a gnat ! In case 

 of a bite from this species, the approved treatment is to suck 

 the wound thoroughly and apply oil to it. The rustic remedy 

 approved by quack doctors is an oil prepared from the Viper's 

 own fat " a hair of the dog that bit you " sort of cure. A 

 ligament above the wound will prevent the poison spreading ; 

 and the blood may be made alkaline by the internal adminis- 

 tration of ammonia. The popular idea in many parts is that 

 the reddish-coloured Vipers have more virulent poison than the 



