S30 BANDED RATTLE-SNAKE. 



blood-vessels and tubes, as to compose so many re- 

 gularly-formed bodies, which could not be viewed 

 without admiration. 



The tongue was in all respects like that of a 

 Viper, being composed of two long and round 

 bodies, contiguous, and joined together from the 

 root to half its length : this part may be darted 

 out or retracted with great agility by the animal, 

 the part which is thrown out being of a black co- 

 lour, while the remainder or sheathed portion is 

 red. 



The teeth are of two sorts, viz. the smaller; 

 which are seated in each jaw, and serve for the 

 catching and retaining the food ; and, secondly, 

 the fangs or poisonous teeth, which kill the prey, 

 and are placed without the upper jaw, and are all 

 canini or apprehen sores ; for since snakes do not 

 chew or bruise their food, but swallow it whole, 

 they have no need of molares or grinders. 



Of the first sort of teeth are two rows on each 

 side, viz. five in a row, 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 mountebanks, 

 who, to give a proof of the efficacy of their anti- 

 dotes, 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 jaws, 

 towards the fore part of the mouth, not fastened 

 to the maxilla, as the other teeth, but the two 



