58 CROTALUS DURISSUS. 



left ; each was about an inch in diameter, and though forming one 

 continued body, yet plainly distinguishable into several smaller 

 kidneys, to the number of fifteen. 



" The tongue was in all respects like that of the viper, being 

 composed of two long and round bodies, contiguous, and joined 

 together from the root, to half its length i this part may be 

 retracted or darted out at the will of the animal 5 that part which 

 is thrown out being of a black colour, while the remainder or 

 sheathed portion is red. 



" The teeth arc of two sorts, viz. the smaller, which are seated 

 in each jaw, and serve for catching and retaining the food ; and, 

 secondly, the fangs, or poisonous teeth, which kill the prey, and 

 are placed without the upper jaw. Of the first sort of teeth are 

 two rows on each side, viz. five in a row of the inward less than 

 the outward, there being twenty in all. In the upper jaw there 

 are only sixteen, viz. five on each side, placed backward, and six 

 before. These do no harm, which was known of old to mounte- 

 banks, who, to give proof of the efficacy of their antidotes, would 

 suffer themselves to be bitten by vipers, but first took care to spoil 

 them of their fangs. The fangs are placed without the upper jaw, 

 towards the fore part of the mouth, not fastened in the maxillae as 

 the other teeth. The fangs were not to be perceived on first 

 opening the mouth, lying concealed under a strong membrane, or 

 sheath ; but at pleasure the animal can raise them, as a cat or lion 

 does its claws. These fangs were hooked and bent, like the tusks 

 of the babyrousa, but some of the smaller ones were bent at right 

 angles; on each side we meet with about six or seven of these. 

 In all these teeth was a pretty large foramen, or hole, towards the 

 root of it, and towards the point was a plainly visible large slit, 

 sloping like the cut of a pen, the part from the slit being perfectly 

 hollow ; and on pressing gently with the finger on the side of the 

 gum, the poison, which was of a yellowish colour, was readily 

 perceived to issue from the hollow of the tooth through the slit." 



The rattle, which occurs as an appendage to the tail, is com- 

 posed of a number of semitransparent rings, received upon each 

 other, the first only being firmly attached to the last caudal ver- 

 tebra, whilst the others are very moveable upon one another. The 



