HOEXED VIPERS. 



815 



itself in the sand, has a horn above each eye. It is to be seen figured on ancient monuments there.* 

 Dr. Andrew Smith states that there are six kinds of Vipers in South Africa, and that they are 

 mostly indolent, and are heedless of the approach of man. One of them, Vipera (cerastes) caudalts, 

 has a slender, recurved head-spine of about a line or a line and a quarter in length, and the tail 

 appears dwindled, so short and tapering is it. It is especially dangerous, for it will not move off, 

 but submits to be trodden on accidentally, and then bites. When once it seizes the obnoxious object, 

 it holds on with great tenacity, and does not rush off when removed. The Horned Viper, f the 

 Hornsman of the Cape colonists, has the eyebrows armed with a clump of lengthened spinous scales 



PUFF ADDER. 



forming a short horn. It has large curved fangs, and swollen upper lips. The Berg Adder J of the 

 Dutch colonists and the Puff Adder of the Cape colonists are well-known African kinds, and are 

 generally found on the sides of hills or on dry sandy ground. The River Jack Viper |j of the west of 

 Africa is a formidable-looking Snake with a flat head, a longish horn on each side of the snout, a, 

 small neck, short body, and thin tail. It puffs itself out when visitors look at it in captivity, and 

 sends forth the inevitable hiss. 



The kinds of East Indian Vipers are arranged in two genera one in which the Snakes have a 

 very large nostril (genus Daboia), and the other in which the nostrils are small (genus Echis). Sir 

 Joseph Fayrer states that " The Daboia, or Russell's Viper, is called by the natives about Calcutta 

 'Uloo Bora,' from the uloo grass in which it is often found. In Bengal it is called ' Jessur,' ' Siah'- 

 chunder Amaiter.' It is common in Bengal, and is frequently caught in the Botanic Gardens near 

 Calcutta, also in the South of India, Ceylon, and Burmah. 



* Vipera cerastes. f Vipera cornuta. J Vipera atropos. Vipera arietans. \\ Vipera rhinocei'os. 



