58 
plint's natural histoux. 
[Book XI. 
just like the sting of the scorpion, and it is through these that 
they eject their venom. The v/riters who have made the most 
diligent enquiries on the subject, inform us that this venom is 
nothing but the gall of the serpent, and that it is conveyed 
to the mouth by certain veins which run beneath the spine ; 
indeed, there are some who state that there is only one poison- 
fang, and that being barbed at the end, it is bent backwards 
when the animal has inflicted a bite. Other writers, however, 
affirm that on such an occasion the fang falls out, as it is very 
easily displaced, but that it soon grows again; this tooth, 
they say, is thus wanting in the serpents which we see 
handled about by persons.^^ It is also stated that this fang 
exists in the tail of the scorpion, and that most of these animals 
have no less than three. The teeth of the viper are concealed 
in the gums : the animal, being provided with a similar venom, 
exercises the pressure of its fangs for the purpose of instilling 
the poison in its bite. 
JSTo winged creatures have teeth, with the sole exception of 
the bat. The camel is the only one among the animals with- 
out horns, that has no fore-teeth in the upper jaw. 'None of 
the horned animals have serrated teeth. Snails, too, have 
teeth ; a proof of which are the vetches which we find gnawed 
away by snails of the very smallest size. To assert that among 
marine animals, those that have shells, and those that are 
cartilaginous have fore- teeth, and that the sea-urchin has five 
teeth, I am very much surprised how such a notion could have 
possibly arisen. With insects the sting supplies the place of 
teeth ; the ape has teeth just like those in man.^^ The elephant 
^ There is always one fang, at least, ready to supply the place of the one 
in front, if lost by any accident. 
25 Like the jugglers of the East at the present day. But it is very 
doubtful whether the poison fang is in all instances previously extracted 
from the serpents which they handle. 
'^^ But the camel, as well as the lama, has an incisive bone, provided 
with an incisive tooth on each side, and has canine and molar teeth as well. 
If by this term he means teeth separated from each other, the asser- 
tion is incorrect, as in these animals we find the molars separated from the 
lower incisives by a very considerable space. 
2s Cuvier says, as far as the sea-urchin is concerned, very simply, and 
merely by looking at it, as its five teeth are very apparent. 
29 The incisors are in number, and very nearly in appearance, like those 
of man. The canines are difi'erent in shape, though similar in number. 
What he says about the elephant, is peculiar to that of India. 
