300 



VERTEBRATA. 



Ornus KLAI'S: AV<i/w.— This indiules the Bead Snake, E.fulvius of Linnaeus; the form is 

 lonij .u.a Hle'n.l.T; U-iij^th two feet; c.h.r rcl, surroun.k'.i with black rings banded witli yellow; 

 it hits .TiTt |M.i.H..n faiii;s, but is niil.l and gentle, and is never known to bite. It is often dug up 

 from the groun.l in the tirhls of sweet potatoes in the Carolinas. 



'riuTo are several species of Elapn in South America which are venomous, and when their 

 haunts are invaded advance fiercely »p'»n the intruder. The E. lubricus, when disturbed, rises 

 upon its tail, its head and body almost perpendicular, and with a most malignant expression 

 threatt-ns veiiu-caiirc upon the otiender. 



There arc several genera of poisonous serpents in Asia belonging to this family, as Trimesurus, 

 Parui.'t, .\ftyarni, and Atropos. 



TUE COMMON EUROPEAN VIFEE. 



THE VIPERID^. 



This sub-order includes the Vipers of the Old World, distinguished from the Crotalidse by the 

 absence of the pits in the side of the face. 



Genus PELIAS : Pelias. — The Common European Viper, P. Berus, in color is yellowdsh- 

 brown, with a line of rhomboidal figures running along the back, and a row of spots on each side ; 

 length about two feet ; it inhabits woods, and dry and stony districts, and feeds on small quadru- 

 peds and reptiles. Its bite is poisonous, though seldom fatal. It appears to be well attested that 

 the female of this species allows her young ones, when suddenly alarmed, to take refuge in her 

 body, by entering at her mouth. In many cases, when the mother has been killed, the young 

 which have thus retreated to her stomach, have been found, and on being liberated immediately 

 resumed their natural activity. The eggs of this species are covered with a thin skin, which is 

 broken in the act of parturition, and the young viper at once assumes all the virulence of the 

 race. Bell tells us that if a female viper, about to bring forth, be killed, and the young ones 

 coiled up in the eggs, appearing almost like a solid mass, be set at liberty by opening the ab- 

 domen, they will immediately crawl about, and being irritated, will throw themselves into an 

 attitude of defense. 



