THE COMMON VIPER, OR ADDER. 109 



The Cerastes usually lives in the driest and hottest parts of Northern Africa, and lies 

 half-buried in the sand until its prey should come within reach. Like many SerpentSj 

 it can endure a very prolonged frost without appearing to suffer any inconvenience ; those 

 kept by Bruce lived for two years in a glass jar without partaking of food, and seemed 

 perfectly brisk and lively, casting their skins as usual, and not even becoming torpid 

 during the winter. 



The colour of the Cerastes is pale brownish white, covered irregularly with brown 

 spots. Its length is about two feet. 



PASSING to another genus of venomous Snakes, we come to a rather pretty little 

 Serpent, an inhabitant of India, and called by the natives HOEATTA PAM (Echis carindta}. 

 it is said to be very dangerous in spite of its small dimensions, and to require a double 

 dose of Serpent medicine in order to counteract the effects of its poison. Its colour is 

 greyish brown, darkening into rather deep brown on the head, and variegated with angular 

 white streaks on the body, and large oblong spots on the head, edged with a deeper hue. 

 Its length is about fifteen or sixteen inches. 



THE common ASP or CHERS.EA ( Vipera aspis) is nearly allied to the preceding species. 



This Snake is common in many parts of Europe, and is plentiful in Sweden and the 

 neighbouring countries, besides being distributed over nearly the whole continent. It is 

 much dreaded, and with reason, for its bite is very severe, and in some cases will cause 

 death. As is the case with other venomous reptiles, the Asp is most dangerous during 

 the hottest months of the year, and it has well been remarked that there is probably some 

 connexion between the electrical state of the atmosphere, and the venom of Serpents, as 

 the poison is always most deadly and the creatures most fierce when the electrical condj 

 tions of the atmosphere are disturbed, and the thunder-clouds are flying quickly through 

 the air. When a person is bitten in one of his limbs, he quickly digs a hole and buries the 

 injured part below the surface of the earth, as the fresh mould is thought to be very 

 efficacious in alleviating the ill effects of the poison. Should the injury be in a toe or a 

 finger, the rougher but more effectual remedy of instant amputation is generally employed. 



The colour of this reptile is olive above, with four rows of black spots. The two middle 

 rows are often placed so closely together, that they coalesce and form a continuous chain 

 of black spots along the spine, very like the well-known markings of the common viper. 



ANOTHER venomous Snake, the AMMODYTE or SAND-NATTER (Vipera Ammodytes)* 

 belongs to the same genus as the asp. 



This reptile inhabits southern Europe, and is generally found in rocky localities. The 

 bite of this creature is very dangerous, and the remedies employed are generally of little 

 efficacy. Enlarging the wound with a thorn, and squeezing a garlic upon the part bitten, 

 is the general mode of alleviating the pain, but is of little use to the injured person. Its 

 colour is olive above, with a broad oblique dark streak on each temple, two similar streaks 

 on each side of the head, and a wavy dark line along the crown of the spine. 



THE common VIPER, or ADDER, is very well known in many parts of England, but in 

 some localities is very plentiful, while in others it is never seen from one year's end to 

 another. 



Many persons mistake the common grass Snake for the Viper, and dread it accordingly. 

 They may, however, always distinguish the poisonous reptile from the innocuous, by the 

 chain of dark spots that runs along the spine, and forms an unfailing guide to its identifi- 

 cation. Fortunately for ourselves, it is the only poisonous reptile inhabiting England, the 

 variously-coloured specimens being nothing more than varieties of the same species. 



Like most reptiles, whether poisonous or not, the Viper is a very timid creature, 

 always preferring to glide away from a foe rather than to attack, and only biting when 

 driven to do so under great provocation. 



The following interesting account of a Viper's bite and its consequences, has been 

 kindly forwarded to me by Mr. W. C. Coleman : 



