150 



ZOOLOGY. 



The Warted Snake is a native of Java, generally resort- 

 ing to the plantations of pepper, and sometimes attaining th® 

 length of seven feet. There is only one known species, 



7. Anguis. Slow-Worm. Scales on the belly and under 

 the tail. 



None of this genus possess the fangs necessary to inject 

 poison, though some of the species are furnished with the 

 sacks ii) which the poison is secreted ; the kind common to 

 this country is perfectly harmless, and is generally known by 

 the name of Blind-Worm, it is capable of existing without 

 food for many months ; as likewise without air, or at least a 

 change of air, for a very considerable period ; I had two sent 

 from the country several years ago, (as objects of great curi- 

 osity,) the person who had them in charge was particularly 

 timid, and had them put into a wide mouthed bottle, which 

 was corked up and cemented close, on their arriving in 

 town, no convenient opportunity occuring to send them to 

 me, and the family being uneasy at having animals of this 

 description in the house, it was considered as most prudent 

 to bury them, till a convenient opportunity might offer ; by 

 accident I was passing the house of the person in whose 

 charge they were, and called, when I was informed of the 

 good care taken of them ; they were dug up, and to 

 my great surprise, were alive, though very inactive, the time 

 they had been thus incarcerated, was rather more than six 

 weeks. On my return home, I liberated them, and ex- 

 changed the bottle for a small wire cage, in which they lived 

 for nearly two years, becoming torpid in the winter, and ex- 

 hibiting signs of returning animation towards the end of 



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