( 3*9 ) _ 
« vey their Poifon ; and they are placed in the up- 
« per Jaw, pretty forward in the Mouth, one on 
“ each fide. Thefe Teeth are hollow and crooked 
“ like a Cock’s Spur : They are alfo loofe or fpring- 
“ ing in the Mouth, and not fatten’d in the Jaw- 
“ bone as all the other Teeth are. The Hollow has 
“ a Vent alfo through by a fmall Hole a little be- 
<c low the Point of the Tooth. Thefe two Teeth 
“ are kept lying down along the Jaw, or (hut like a 
« Spring-knife, and don’t fhrink up as the Talons of 
“ a Cat or Panther : They have alfo over them a 
“ loofe thin Film or Skin of a Flefli-colour, which 
“ rifes over them when they are raifed } which I 
‘‘ take to be only at the Will of the Snake to do In- 
“ jury. This Skin does not break by the Rifing of 
“ the Tooth only, but keeps whole 'till the Bite is 
“ given, and then is pierced by the Tooth, by 
which the Poifon is let out. The Head being 
“ laid upon the Hogftiead, I took two little Twigs or 
“ Splinters of Sticks ; and having turn’d the Head 
“ upon its Crown, open’d the Mouth, and lifted up 
“ the Fang or Springing-Tooth on one fide feveral 
“ times ; in doing of which I at laft broke the Skin. 
** The Head gave a fudden Champ with its Mouth, 
breaking from my Sticks ; in which I obferved 
** that the Poifon ran down in a Lump like Oil, 
“ round the Root of the Tooth. Then I turned the 
« other fide of the Head, and refolved to be more 
“ careful to keep the Mouth open on the like Oc« 
“ cafion, and obferve more narrowly the Confe. 
if quence. For it is to be obferved, that though the 
“ Heads of Snakes, Terrapins [a fort of fortoife\ 
« and fuch like Vermin be cut off, yet the Body 
X x “ will 
