Glass III. VIPER. ^y^ 



The viper grows fcidom to a greater length than 

 two feet^ though once we faw a female (which is 

 nearly a third larger than the male) which was al- 

 moft three feet long. 



The ground-color of this ferpent is a dirty yel- "Descrip. 

 low ; that of the female deeper. Its back is marked 

 the whole length with a feries of rhomboid black 

 fpots, touching each other at the points ; the fides 

 with triangular ones ; the belly entirely black. 



There is a variety wholly black ; but the rhom- 

 boid marks are very confpicuous even in this, 

 being of a deeper and more gloify hue than the 

 I'eft. Petiver calls it the Vipera Anglica Nigricans. 

 Pet. Muf. No. 204 *- 



The head of the viper is inflated, which diftin- 

 G-uifhes it from the com.mon fnake. The tono-ue 

 forked ; the teeth fmall ; the four canine teeth are Teeth 

 placed two on each fide the upper jaw : thefe in- 

 ftruments of polfon are long, crooked, and move^ 

 able, and can be raifed and depreffed at pleafure ; 

 they are hollow from near the point to their bale, 

 near v/hich is a gland that fecretes, prepares, and 

 lodges the poifon , and the fame adion that gives 

 the wounds, forces from this gland, through the 

 tooth, the fatal juice into it. 



Thefe ifiands niay be particularly thankful fo? 

 t\iQ bleffing they enjoy, in being pofTefled of only 



* Coluber Prefter. Lin.fy/}, 377. Bofe> Faun, Sue:. No. 287. 



one 



