VIP 
hatched; the infefbs under confideration protrude 
them from their bodies, and are found in prodi- 
gious numbers, lodged in a fort of filky bags 
difperfed over the ftalks and branches of the 
vine. 
VINE-GRUBS. A name given by fome na- 
turalifts to the pucerons, or little infefts, ufually 
of a green colour, found in great abundance ad- 
hering to the leaves of trees and plants, and par- 
ticularly to their young ftalks. 
VIOLA. An appellation by which fome 
ichthyologifts exprefs the fifli called in Englilh 
the fmelt, 
VIPER ; the Coluber Berus of Linnaeus. 
This well-known poifonous ferpent is found in 
many parts of this idand; but the dry, ftonv, 
and in particular the chalky countries, abound 
■with them. It feldom arrives at a greater 
length than that of two feet, though it is fome- 
times met with above three. The ground co- 
lour of the body of the male is a dirty yellow; 
that of the female is deeper. The back is 
marked the whole length with a feries of rhom- 
boidal black foots, touching each other at the 
points J the fides are marked with triangular 
ones ; and the belly is entirely black. It is 
chiefly diftinguiftied from the common black 
fnake by the colour, which in the latter is more 
beautifully mottled ; as well as by the head, 
which is thicker than the body; but particularly 
by the tail, which in the viper, though it termi- 
nates in a point, does not run tapering to fo 
great a length as in the other : when, therefore, 
other diftindions fail, the difference of the tail 
can be difcerned at a fingle glance. 
This reptile differs from moft others of the 
ferpent clafs in being flower in it's motions, but 
more efpecially in being viviparous. Providence, 
in companion to mankind, feems not only to have 
diminifhed it's fpeed, but alfo it's fruitfulnefs ; 
and, in' proportion as it is dangerous, it's powers 
of mifchief are abridged, and it's numbers con- 
fined. 
The Viper copulates in May, and is fuppofed 
to go with young three months. If the female 
be diffefted during the period of geftation, fhe 
will be found to contain about ten or eleven eggs, 
chained together in the womb like a ftring of 
beads; each egg containing from three to four 
young : thefe continue in the matrix till they 
arrive at fuch a degree of perfeftion as to be able 
to burft from the fliell ; and they are "aid, by their 
own efforts, to creep from their confinem.ent into 
the open air, where they continue forfeveral days 
without any fuftenance whatever. 
* We have often been affured,' fays Pennant, 
* by intelligent people, of the truth cf a fadl, 
that the young of a Viper, when terrified, will 
run down the throat of the parent, and feek 
ihelter in it's belly, in the fame manner as the 
young of the opoffum retire into the ventral 
pouch of the old one. From this,' continues 
he, * fome have imagined that the Viper is fo 
unnatural as to devour it's own young ; but 
this deferves no credit, as thefe animals live on 
frogs, toads, lizards, and young birds ; which 
they fwallow entire, though the morfel is often 
three times as thick as their own body.' 
. Thefe creatures are capable of fupporting ab- 
ftinence for a remarkable length of time. One 
of them has been confined in a box for fix 
monthsj without the lead vifible food ; and yet. 
VIP 
during the whole time, never abated in it's viva- 
city. It feeds only during a fmall portion of the 
year, but never when under confinem.ent ; for if 
mice, it's favourite food, fliould at any time be 
thrown into the box, though eager to kill, it w ill 
never tafle them. When at liberty, it remains 
torpid throughout the winter; but, when con- 
fined, has never been obferved to take this annual 
repofe. It's polf^n, however, decreafes in propor- 
tion to the continuance of it's confinement ; and it 
is imagined that the virtues of the animal's fielli 
are confiderably leffened by the fame reiiraints. 
Vipers are ufually taken with wooden tongs, 
bv the ends of their tails, which may be done 
without danger; for, while held in that pofltion, 
they are unable to wind themfclves up to hurt 
the aggreffor; yet, notwithftanding this precau- 
tion, the Viper-catchers and others are frequently 
bit by them: ard as they are the only animals in 
tliis country truly alarming becaufe of their poi- 
fonous effe6ls, we fhall note fuch remarkable 
cafes, and modes of cure, as may tend to alleviate 
nd obviate rhe noxious confequences 
of the bite when it has at any time unfortunately 
taken place. 
A perfon named Oliver, a Viper-catcher at 
Bath, is faid to have been the firfc who difcovered. 
the efficacy of olive-oil in curing the bite of this 
dreaded ferpent. On the firft of June, 17^35, 
in the prefcnce of a great number of perfons, iie 
fuffered himfelf to be fo bit by an old black Viper, 
brought by one of the company, on the wrifl, 
and joint of the thumb of the right-hand, that 
blood iffued from the wounds. He immediately 
felt a violent pain, both at the top of his thumb, 
and up his arm, even before the Viper was Icof- 
ened from his hand. Soon after, he felt a pain, 
refembling that of burning, trickle up his arm. 
In a few minutes, his eyes began to look red and 
fiery, and to water m.uch. Within lefs than an 
hour, he perceived the venom feize his heart, by 
a kind of pricking pain, attended with faintnefs, 
fhortnefs of breath, and cold fweats. In a few 
minutes afterwards, his belly began to fwell, 
accompanied with fevere gripings, pains in his 
back, vomitings, and purgings. During the 
violence of thofe fymptoms, his fight forfook 
him forfeveral minutes, but he was ftill capable 
of hearing. He faid that, in his former experi- 
ments, he had never deferred his remedy longer 
than till he perceived the effeds of the venom had 
reached his heart; but at this time, being willing 
to fatisfy the company thoroughly, and trufting 
to the ipeedy effects of his antidote, which was 
nothing more than olive-oil, he forbore to apply 
any thing till he found himfelf extremely ill, and 
quite giddy. 
About an hour and a quarter after he was firft 
bit, a chaffing-difh of glowing charcoal was 
brought in ; and his naked arm was held over it 
as clofe as he could bear, v/hile his wife rubbed 
in the oil with her hand, turning his arm con- 
tinually round, as if fiie would have roaflcd ic 
over the coals. He faid the poifon foon abated, 
but the fwelling was not much diminifhed. Moft 
violent purgings and vomitings foon enfued; and 
his pulfc became fo low, and fo often interrupted, 
that it was thought proper to give him a repeti- 
tion of cordial potions: he was not fenfible, he 
faid, of any great relief from them; but that the 
drinking a glafs or two of olive-oil feemed to 
give him eafe. Continuing in this dangerous con- 
dition. 
