Reptiles— Fishes. 4763 



Supposed insensibility of Reptiles to Poison. — In a recent number of the ' Zoologist' 

 (Zool. 4705), one of your correspondents makes some remarks on the insensibility of 

 reptiles to strong poisons, and instances a case of the common water-newt, as not 

 suffering from the effects of " several strong doses of Prussic acid." This may perhaps 

 occur among the Batraehia, but it is certainly otherwise with the viper, the only 

 reptile that I have hitherto tried this poison upon. Last June, when in Devonshire, 

 I procured a fine lively viper, and, wishing to preserve the skeleton entire, a difficulty 

 arose as to the means of killing the animal without risking injury to any of the bones : 

 it struck me that poison might be usefully employed for this purpose, and some Prussic 

 acid of Scheele's strength having been just received from London for medicinal pur- 

 poses, I at once proceeded to administer it. Holding the viper near the head with a 

 stick, I put the bottle of acid to his lips ; but, being unable to force open his mouth, I 

 was induced to try another plan, and left him alone, with a single drop of the poison 

 resting on the nose : these gentle measures succeeded better than the more forcible 

 ones, for presently he protruded the tongue, and, on withdrawing it, carried the poison 

 into his mouth : the effect was instantaneous ; the viper began snapping furiously, 

 rolled over on his back, and twisted about with the most violent contortions : in less 

 than a minute a slight muscular contraction of the body, on being taken up, was all 

 that remained of the vital powers that but a short time before were so actively dis- 

 played. The question of the effect of poisons on serpents, especially that of poisonous 

 bites inflicted on them by similar or allied species, is one about which we have much 

 to learn, and difficulties arise in drawing just conclusions from accidental cases, from 

 the fact that the tooth of the assailant may perhaps penetrate some vital part, and 

 death will be the consequence, without the application of the injected venom. Some 

 cases that have occurred in the Zoological Gardens seem to bear on this point: in one 

 instance a puff-adder was bitten through the head by his companion, and died ; another 

 was bitten on the back, and, although apparently suffering in consequence for a time, 

 it lived for some months after, and ultimately died from other causes. — E. W. H. Holds- 

 worth ; 26, Osnaburgh Street, May 16, 1855. 



Supposed unnoticed character in the Angler or Fishing Frog. — With reference to 

 Mr. Thomson's notice (Zool. 4705) of the leaf-like appendages on the body as well as 

 on the head of Lophius piscatorius, I may observe that they are distinctly, although 

 perhaps not very accurately, represented in the figure of that species at the head of the 

 article in the second edition of Yarrell's ' British Fishes,' though the author appears to 

 have omitted mentioning them in his detailed description, except as being found 

 around the head. I had an opportunity, with many others, of examining this fish 

 soon after its arrival, when its extraordinary appearance and many curious characters 

 made it a general subject of regret that it had not survived its journey from the coast. 

 I mention the second edition of ' British Fishes,' as that is the only one that I have by 

 me ; but, as the fish in question is so well known, the figure is probably the same in 

 the first edition of that work. — E. W. H. Holdsivorth ; 26, Osnaburgh Street, May 16, 

 1855. 



Salmon and Salmon Fry. — Knowing the interest you take in all that relates to 

 Natural History, I would, had my time permitted, have sent you a memorandum 

 before now of a very interesting meeting which took place at the salmon -breeding 



