SERPENTS. 



289 



ceal the long fangs. In form they are heavy and squat, the body 

 being pretty thick in the middle, somewhat compressed ; the back 

 slightly keeled, covered with rough keeled scales ; while the belly 

 is covered with broad band-like shields or scuta. The tail is short, 

 conical, and thick, but never blunt at the tip. 



FIG. 311. HEADS OF POISONOUS SNAKES OF DIFFERENT GENERA. 



" Their manners, habits, and method of killing their prey are 

 very characteristic. Their dull, heavy disposition, their slow mode 

 of progression, the extreme sluggishness of all their movements, 

 would naturally render their pursuit of active animals unavailing ; 

 but, gifted with the utmost patience, they calmly wait till chance 

 brings within their reach the creatures destined for their food. 

 When these approach, or when disturbed by an enemy, they dis- 

 play their formidable powers. They raise their heads erect, open 

 their mouth so wide that their jaws form an obtuse angle, they 

 project their fangs, their body uncoils like a loosened spring, and 

 the serpent, aiding the sudden assault by resting upon its tail, 

 darts at a single bound upon its victim to inflict the fatal wound," 



"And hurls at once its venom and its length." 



The art of the chemist has not succeeded in extracting from 

 the most deadly substances a poison so potent as that with which 

 they are gifted. Its effect is almost instantaneous : from thirty 

 seconds to two minutes is the brief time required for its operation, 

 so fearful so merciful is its mortal virulence when employed 

 against the small animals that constitute the ordinary food of these 

 reptiles. It is in tropical climates that the poisonous serpents 



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