THE BATTLE SNAKE. 



Description Manner of biting. 



Notwithstanding the bae of the viper is at- 

 tended with such dreadful effects, its flesh w*s 

 forirverly esteemed for its medicinal vinires; a 

 broth made by boiling a viper in water, which 

 just covered it, until it came to half the quantity, 

 has been found a powerful restorative in battered 

 constitutions. The salt of vipers was also thought 

 to exceed any other animal salt whatever, in 

 giving vigor to a languid constitution. Modern 

 practitioners, however, very rarely prescribe it. 



THE R4TTLE SNJKE. 



THE color of the rattle snake, which is bred 

 both in North and South America, but in no 

 part of the old world, is yellowish-brown above, 

 marked with broad transverse bars of black. 

 Both the jaws are furnished with small sharp 

 teeth, and the upper one has four large incur- 

 vated and pointed fangs. At the base of each is 

 a round orifice, opening into a hollow that ap- 

 pears again near the end of the tooth in the 

 form of a small channel : these teeth may be 

 raised or compressed. When the animals are 

 in the act of biting, they force out of a giand 

 near the roots of the teeth the fatal juice. This 

 is received into the round orifice of the teeth, 

 conveyed through the tube into the channel, 

 and from thenoe with unerring direction into the 

 wound. The tail is furnished with a rattle, con- 



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