252 LETTER PROM DR. J. SHORTT. [NoV. 25, 



■wlilcliwas young, was I foot in length. These reptiles are generally- 

 found under stones and in rocky places ; frequently in the low country 

 it is found in prickly-pear bushes (Opuntia vulgaris). 



" In their habits they are extremely active for their size, and live 

 on frogs, mice, birds, &c. On opening the Viper I procured on the 

 Shervaroy Hills, I removed from its inside a My ?zaA (Indian Grackle), 

 from a second in this place a field-rat, and from a third an immense 

 toad was taken. These Vipers are readily killed by the slightest 

 blow ; on one occasion I had one caught alive by fising a noose 

 round its body, but raising it from the ground and suspending it by 

 the noose for a few seconds killed it. 



" The natives dread these snakes greatly, as their bite is said to 

 prove rapidly fatal. Although they are common in this district, I 

 have not heard of an instance of this occurring during a residence of 

 five years at this place. Dr. A. Hunter, of our service, tells me that 

 when he was Zillah Surgeon here, some years ago, a sepoy was bitten 

 by one, and that the man's life was saved by his sucking out the wound. 

 During my stay on the Shervaroys, the first specimen that was brought 

 to me was immediately recognized by my friend B. A. Daly, Esq., 

 a coffee-planter, who related the following circumstance that oc- 

 curred to him a few years ago. Mr. Daly was out shooting with a 

 few dogs (mongrel spaniels), when he came upon one of these Vipers, 

 and the dogs having attacked the snake before he could kill it, three 

 were bitten, one after the other ; the first died almost instantly, the 

 second in about two hours after, whilst it was being carried home, 

 and the third lingered for nearly three months from emaciation, 

 general debility, loss of appetite, &c., and eventually made a good 

 recovery. This we can readily understand : the first dog bitten re- 

 ceived the largest quantity of poison, whilst the second received less, 

 and when it came to the third the supply was no doubt all but ex- 

 hausted, and the rapidity with which the wounds must have been 

 inflicted left no time for fresh poison to be secreted. This accounts 

 for the ultimate recovery of the dog. 



" In January last a lady at this place was returning from a walk 

 with her child, followed by a bull-terrier puppy about six months 

 old ; her house was situated some distance from the gate, and the 

 road on either side was covered with spear-grass. It was just dusk. 

 The puppy suddenly darted in front and began to bark vociferously. 

 Although the lady had seen nothing, she took alarm at the movements 

 of the puppy, and called out to me as I happened to be passing by 

 the gate at that moment. On going to see what was the matter, I 

 found a large Viper coiled up in the centre of the road, and the puppy 

 making a great noise from a respectful distance. The snake was 

 closely coiled up, with the neck bent abruptly backwards, and the 

 head fixed almost horizontally ; it began to puff itself out something 

 after the manner of the Puff-Adder, and hissed loudly, intently watch- 

 ing the movements of the dog, no doubt awaiting an opportunity to 

 strike it, when I called the puppy away. The instant the puppy 

 turned its head, the snake glided with the rapidity of lightning into 

 the surrounding grass and disappeared. The next day it was killed 



