208 Zoologica: N. Y. Zoological Society [I; 11 



Opisthoglyph snakes with their crude, grooved fangs, and the many 

 highly specialized long-fanged vipers, which we will presently con- 

 sider, have a marked habit as if strongly appreciative of the deadli- 

 ness of their fangs, in seizing the prey, firmly imbedding the venom 

 conducting teeth and awaiting without further move, the death of the 

 quarry. Many members of the Elapinae, to the contrary seize 

 the prey, imbed the fangs in a series of chewing motions and commence 

 to swallow it at once. In a large number of cases the prey strug- 

 gles violently and the snake endeavors to subdue it by various move- 

 ments of the body, even by partial constriction. The short fangs of 

 these serpents are liable to discharge their venom into the pelage or 

 feathers of a bitten animal, which, during the entire process of 

 deglutition may be quite unaffected by the snake's poison. If the 

 prey consists of another snake, a lizard or batrachian, creatures 

 with comparatively unprotected bodies, the fangs are easily im- 

 bedded. The effect of the venom upon cold-blooded prey, however, 

 appears not so rapid as that of the Opisthoglyphs. A great number of 

 the elapine snakes feed upon mammals and birds. In a general 

 summary of their feeding habits, the writer would designate the 

 more highly specialized venom apparatus as compared to that of the 

 Opisthoglyphs, as but slightly more efficient in subduing the prey 

 than that of the members of the latter series. It is possible that the 

 elapine snakes form a group in a state of rapid transition toward the 

 development of larger fangs. 



The Viperidae embraces the most highly specialized serpents, 

 owing to the extreme development of the poison apparatus. With 

 these serpents the elongate and horizontal maxillary bones existing 

 among other snakes, have been reduced to small, vertical, movable 

 anterior processes each bearing an enormously elongated fang, with 

 a perfectly enclosed canal and venom ejecting orifice at the needle- 

 like tip. Here the length of the fang is so great that the movable 

 maxillary bones enable these great teeth to be folded back when the 

 jaws are closed. In consequence it is not surprising to find among 

 such reptiles an unique feeding habit adapted to the fang develop- 

 ment. This consists of a wonderfully dexterous stabbing of the prey 

 by these terrible weapons, and its immediate release. The bitten 

 animal is able to stagger but a short distance, when it is overcome; 

 it may drop in immediate convulsions. Smiall animals are often 

 vitally stabbed and instant death occurs from the fang thrust alone. 

 Such are the habits of the larger mxammal-eating vipers in attacking 



