REPTILIA — VIPER. 707 



inches long to three feet and upwards, variegated with rich chestnut brown 

 spots or bands, on a lighter brown ground, the scales remarkably short, 

 close set, and hard ; the eyes are vertical ; the head compressed, and covered 

 with very minute dark brown scales, and reddish stripes. 



THE VIPER. 1 



The common viper^ is a native of many parts of Europe ; but the dry, 

 stony, and in particular the chalky countries, abound with them. In the 

 East Indies, also, it is found, and varies very slightly from that which be- 

 longs to Europe. It can equally support the vicissitudes of very cold 

 climates, it being an inhabitant of Sweden, where its bite is nearly as 

 dangerous as in the warmer regions of Europe ; and likewise of Ptussia, and 

 of several parts of Siberia, where it is very numerous, as the superstitions 

 of the people deter them from endeavoring to destroy this noxious reptile, 

 because that they conceive some terrible disaster will follow the attempt. 

 This animal seldom grows to a greater length than two feet; tbough some- 

 times they are found above three. The ground color of their bodies is a 

 dirty yellow; that of the female is deeper. The back is marked the whole 

 length with a series of rhomboid black spots, touching each other at the 

 points ; the sides with triangular ones ; the belly entirely black. It is 

 chiefly distinguished from the common ringed snake by the color, which in 

 the latter is more beautifully mottled ; as well as by the head, which is 

 thicker than the body; but particularly by the tail, which, in the viper, 

 though it ends in a point, does not run tapering to so great a length as in 

 the other. When, therefore, other distinctions fail, the difference of the tail 

 can be discerned at a single glance. 



The viper differs from most other serpents in being much slower, as also, 

 in excluding its young completely formed, and bringing them forth alive. 

 The kindness of Providence seems exerted not only in diminishing the 



' The genus Vipera has scales on the head rough or granulated ; plates under the belly 

 divided into two under the tail ; poisonous fangs in the upper jaw. 



* Vipera Bcrus, Cuv. 



