CHAPTER VII. 



The Proteroglypha or Front-Fanged Snakes, 

 (solenoglypha.) 



Family V. — Viperid^. 

 Adders, Vipers and Pit-Vipers. 



The Viper family of snakes, with one or two exceptions, are 

 different in appearance to those of the Colubrine family, to which 



FiG. 85.— The life-size head and poison fangs of the typical viper of South Africa, viz. 



the Puff Adder {Bitis arictans). 



the Cobra belongs. They have flat heads, usually more or less tri- 

 angular, bodies thick and plump, and tails short. All are venomous. 



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