.316 NATURAL HISTORY. 



" The Daboia Is nocturnal' in its habits ; in confinement it is sluggish, and does not readily strike 

 unless roused and irritated, when it bites with great force and determination. When disturbed it 

 hisses fiercely, and when it strikes, does so with great vigour. Its long, movable fangs are very pro- 

 minent objects, and with them it is capable of inflicting a very deep as well as poisoned wound. The 

 markings on its body are very beautiful. It lives on small animals, such as rats, mice, and frogs. 

 My snake-man says it will go into water. It is however, terrestrial in its habits. Its loud hissing 

 when disturbed is calculated to warn those who come within its dangerous proximity. It is 

 apparently a hardy reptile, and I had one about forty-four inches in length, which lived a whole 

 year without food or water." 



The genus Echis contains only one Indian species, Echis carinata. The native name is 

 " Afae" in Delhi. It is unknown to the natives in the neighbourhood of Calcutta. 



The Echis is very fierce and aggressive, writes Fayfer ; it is always on the defensive and ready 

 to attack. It throws itself into a double coil, the folds of which are in perpetual motion, and as 

 they rub against each other they make a loud rustling sound very like hissing. This sound is 

 produced by the rubbing together of three or four outer rolls of carinated scales, which are very 

 prominent, and point downwards at a different angle to the rest. This little Viper can dart a foot 

 or more at its prey, but it does not hiss at all. Its fangs are very long and mobile, like those of 

 the Daboia, and its eye has a peculiarly vicious appearance. This active Viper is less than two feet 

 in length. 



SUB-FAMILY CROTALID^E. THE RATTLESNAKES, OR PIT VIPERS. 



The second group of the Vipers are called " Pit Vipers," and the term is derived from the 

 presence of a little depression on both sides of the face between the eye and the nostril. This is a 

 peculiarity of several genera, some, but not all, of which have species furnished with complete or 

 incomplete "rattles." Most of the Pit Vipers have large heads, which may be completely or not at 

 all covered with large plates. They have the pupil of the eye vertical, and elliptical in shape. 



Amongst these very venomous Snakes, all of which have a canal in the poison fangs, the 

 Rattlesnakes are the most interesting. They are readily known by the end of the tail being made up 

 of a number of horny, round, and flat pieces capable of making a sharp sound, not unlike that of a 

 large Grasshopper, by their friction during the vibration of the tail. The head, large behind, is 

 covered there with small ordinary scales, and plates are noticed only in front. They constitute the 

 genus Crotalus, and there are several species more or less remarkable for their geographical 

 distribution. The genus is essentially American. 



The American herpetologist, Hoi brook, thus notices the Common Rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus}: 

 The very large head is flattened above, triangular, rounded in front, covered with plates only in front, 

 and with scales on the vertex and back of the head. There is a deep pit between the nostril and eye. 

 The body is long and robust, and is ash colour above, with irregular cross-bars confluent near the 

 tail. The vertebral line is yellow, and the flanks are tinged with the same colour. The tail is 

 short and thick, and furnished with rattles. The nostrils are large and near the snout, but open 

 laterally. The eyes are large and brilliant, and the pupil is dark, oval, and vertical, and the iris is 

 flame-coloured. The neck is much contracted, and its scales are keeled. An average specimen is four 

 feet long and six inches in girth, and the length of the nine rattles is about two inches. 



It lives on rabbits, squirrels, rats, &c., and is usually a slow, sluggish, reptile, never wantonly 

 attacking or destroying animals except as food, or unless distivrbed by them. A slight touch, 

 however, will effect this, or even the rustling of leaves in the neighbourhood. On these occasions, 

 it coils itself, shaking the rattles violently as a sign of rage, and strikes at whatever is placed within 

 reach. In its native woods one may pass within a few feet of it unmolested. Thoxigh aware of the 

 passenger's presence, it either lies quiet or glides away. It never follows, but will slowly retreat, 

 but it is prepared to strike if necessary. It is remarkable that the Rattlesnakes never strike 

 unless coiled, and that if once thrown from that position they can be approached without danger. 

 Years ago they were common enough, but the Hog which is their great enemy and man with 

 his enclosing and tilling of land have thinned their numbers considerably. 



Formerly, and to a certain extent now, this Snake had the widest range of all the American 



