VENOMOUS ANIMALS 275 



of a gray slate-color, and its head, larger than the 

 neck, is blunted as if cut off in front. 



"It is an extremely timid creature and never at- 

 tacks man except in self-defense. Its movements 

 are brusque, irregular, and heavy. Like all serpents 

 it feeds on live prey, especially insects and small 

 field-rats. To capture these quickly and to deprive 

 them of the power to defend themselves, the viper 

 first inflicts a venomous wound, as does the scorpion. 



"All serpents dart out and in between their lips, 

 with extreme velocity, a black, thread-like member, 

 forked at the end and of great flexibility. Many per- 

 sons take this to be the reptile's sting, though in 

 reality it is nothing but its tongue, a tongue void 

 of offense and used by its possessor to snap up in- 

 sects and also to express, in the snake's peculiar 

 manner, by quickly passing out and in between the 

 lips, the passions that agitate the creature. All ser- 

 pents have this sort of tongue, but in these regions 

 it is only the viper that possesses the terrible weapon 

 for inflicting venomous wounds. 



"This consists, first, of two fangs, or long, sharp 

 teeth, situated in the upper jaw. These curved 

 teeth are movable, starting up for attack, at the rep- 

 tile 's will, or lying down in a groove of the gum and 

 remaining there as inoffensive as a stiletto in its 

 sheath. Thus the risk of a self-inflicted wound is 

 avoided. These fangs are each pierced from end 

 to end with a narrow channel having at the tooth's 

 point a minute opening through which the venom is 

 discharged into the wound. Finally, at the base of 



