214 VENOMOUS 



There is one kind of snake in India of a 

 sluggish nature, \vifli beautiful marks on its 

 skin resembling the eyes in a peacocks tail, 

 which has four venomous teeth, and is the 

 only kind that I have ever seen with more or 

 less than two. * The hotter the weather the 

 more deadly their bite; which I conceive is 

 owing to the poison being more fluid, passing 

 more readily into the wounds, and being 

 sooner absorbed, than in cold weather, when 

 it is in a more tenacious state. It acts I ima- 

 gine principally on the nervous system, from 

 the rapidity of its effects, and I think, causes 

 death by stopping the action of the heart. 



In all the animals I opened which died of 

 this poison, I found the heart and great blood 

 vessels gorged with blood of a blacker colour 

 than natural. 



* Since writing the above I have met with a viper 

 with three venomous teeth on one side, and one on the 

 other, perfect and all surrounded at their roots with the 

 usual cyst. 



