Original Observations on Reptiles and Insects of Texas. 23 



and allow the secretory organs, the liver and kidneys, to elim- 

 inate the poison gradually through the kidneys and sweat 

 glands — stimulated by using diuretics and large quantities of 

 saline enemas, etc. As to local applications, permanganate of 

 potassa, carbolic acid or iodine, properly applied, have the most 

 rapid action ; also hot poultices afterward, as indicated. 



Regarding a remedy for immediate use in snake bites of any 

 kind, I would advise the following : The hunter, or farmer, etc. ; 

 should carry with him on his hunting trips or in the field, a 

 small box containing permanganate of potassa (which any drug 

 store has for sale). When bitten, locate at once the fang 

 wound above and close to the wound ; cut it more open with 

 a clean knife, and rub some of the potassa crystals well into 

 the wound ; if it bleeds freely, the better ; also cover the wound 

 with the salt, apply bandage over this and seek your phy- 

 sician as speedily as possible. In nearly all cases thus treated 

 there will be but slight venom intoxication and consequences, 

 but you must act quick in applying a bandage tightly over the 

 wound, and thoroughly rub the potassa salt in the wound. Ap- 

 ply later a warm poultice, if any swelling should occur. 



It is now well known to naturalists that serpents are either 

 oviparous (egglaying) or ovoviviparous, comprising those spe- 

 cies which give birth to their young. The eggs of the ovipa- 

 rous genera have a thick and hard calcarous shell, whilst 

 the eggs of the species producing young alive have but a very 

 thin and delicate covering, which ruptures shortly before or 

 during birth of the young. This process is similar to the 

 breeding habits of some fish species, and it is unknown 

 to some naturalists that, for instance, our smallest fish 

 species, the Texas minnow, is an ovoviviparous animal. If 

 during the breeding time, which seems to continue all the sum- 

 mer, a female minnow is captured in some of our creeks or 

 tanks, and put in a glass of water and left there a certain length 

 of time, it can be noticed how the young minnows are gradually 

 born alive, and if the abdomen of such fish is opened a large 

 number of more or less fully developed and living fish embryos 

 can be noticed inside the delicate egg membrane, and, if some of 

 the more mature of these are put in a glass with water, it will 

 be noticed how they at once wriggle and merrily swim around 

 in the glass. 



