130 OPHIDIANS. 
“Both pigeons were enfeebled by the poison, and seemed 
disposed to sleep; one of them sank slowly lower and lower, 
until its head touched the table, when it rolled on its side. 
“A pigeon, in ten minutes after it was struck on the back 
by a small snake, fell into the usual stupor, with jerking, 
abrupt respiration, &c. 
“The bird became gradually weaker and weaker, and died 
without convulsions, at the close of an hour and a half. The 
pupils gradually contracted before death, and suddenly dilated 
afterwards. 
“The tissues, for an inch or more around the wound, were 
soaked with extravasated blood, which had even_ passed 
through between the ribs, so as to stain the tissues behind the 
intestines. 
“The heart was large and full of perfectly fluid blood. 
“My chief reason for recording at length these cases,” con- 
tinues Dr. Mitchell, “is to show the great increase in the 
internal lesions which occurs, when the venom is long in killing 
the animal.” 
Among these changes it was found, as a general rule, that 
the blood was most affected, and least coagulable the longer 
death was delayed. 
In two cases the dogs passed clay-colored stools. 
So far as a fatal result is concerned, it seems to be indiffer- 
ent, whether the bite takes place about the head and neck, or 
in the limbs. 
This last observation is of great interest, owing to the fact 
that the dog, a small terrier, survived very serious visceral 
lesions, and lived during two days, with his blood in a con- 
dition of complete diffluence. 
Twenty hours from the time of the poisoning, the dog was 
found lying on his left side, having passed slimy and bloody 
stools in abundance. At intervals he seemed to suffer much 
