COLUBER. 
LitmtEHS considered the number of ab- 
dominal plates and scales under the tail, 
as a characteristic distinction of the dilFe- 
rent species of this genus ; such, however, 
is the inconsistency of this criterion, tliat, 
in describing the same species, scarcely 
two writers agree. Characters taken from 
the number of those plates and scales in 
the serpent tribe, like those fi-om tlie num- 
ber of rays in the fins of fishes, are not to 
be relied upon. The colours are liable to 
some variation ; but the peculiar form and 
disposition of the spots, lines, and other 
markings, afford, in general, a character 
by which the different species may be dis- 
tinguished. 
C. vipera. Somewhat ferruginous, spot- 
ted with brown ; beneath whitish ; tail 
short and mucronated. Abdominal scuta 
118, subcaudal scales 22. Linnaeus. This 
is the common viper of Egypt; it is im- 
ported in considerable quantities every year 
to Venice for the use of the apothecaries. 
Its size is somewhat smaller than that of 
the common viper ; the head nofso flat on 
the top, but very protuberant on each side ; 
snout very obtuse. Ttie body is thick to- 
wards the middle, and somewhat quadran- 
gular, but thin and cylindric towards the 
head and tail, which last is short, slender, 
conical, and terminated by a slightly in- 
curved horny point or tip. The scales on 
the upper parts are oval and carinated. 
Hasselquist describes this species as being 
about two spans in length, exclusive of the 
tail, which measures only an inch. This is 
supposed by some to be the asp, by the 
bite of which the celebrated Cleopatra de- 
termined rather to die than submit to be 
carried captive to Rome, to grace the 
triumph of Augustus. 
C. berus. On the head a bilobate spot; 
body above cinerous (or reddish) with a 
black flexuous zig-zag stripe down the 
back, and belly purplish. Coluber berus, 
abdominal scuta 146, subcaudal scales 39, 
Linnaeus. This is the common English 
viper, and which is not only frequent in 
this count ly, but appears to be generally 
diffused over the rest of Europe, and some 
parts of Asia. If the varieties, described 
by Gmelin, are of the same species, it ex- 
tends also as far as India. 
Though the viper varies considerably in 
colour, from a pale cinerous or yellowish 
ferruginous, to deep or dull brown, the va- 
rieties agree in being marked with a con- 
liruied series of confluent rhomboid black- 
ish spots, extending from the head to the 
tail. The general length of the viper is 
from eighteen inches to two teet, and it is 
affirmed by some writers to grow even to 
the length of three feet. The fangs of the 
viper, like those of other poisonous ser- 
pents, are situated on each side tlie fore 
part of the upper jaw, and are generally 
two in number, with a few smaller ones 
situated behind. The poison, as usual, 
lies in a receptacle at the base of the fangs, 
and being perforated, when the animal 
bites, the compression of those receptacles 
forces out a drop of the poisonous fluid, 
which passing through the aperture of the 
fangs is immediately instilled into the 
wound. The tongue is forked, and being 
soft and flexible is susceptible of great ex- 
tension : it may be, perhaps, superfluous 
to add, that this tongue is altogether in- 
capable of inflicting any wound, or inject- 
ing poison, as some ancient writers cre- 
dulously affirm ; it may assist the animal 
in the capture of its insect prey. The 
French naturalists are inclined to believe 
it is intended by nature to supply some de- 
fect of transpiration in the skin. Hitherto 
the viper has been considered the most 
poisonous of the European serpents, and 
many instances are recorded of the fatal 
effects resulting from its bite. That the 
bite of this serpent is always productive 
of pain and temporary inflammation in the 
parts bitten, is very evident; sometimes 
also the symptoms may become alarming, 
or, in a few instances, through neglect or 
injudicious treatment of the wound, may 
even prove fatal; but upon the whole, tire 
bite of this creature does not appear preg- 
nant with all those dangers which the ter- 
rors and prejudices of the vulgar lead them 
to suppose. In England the bite of the 
viper is rarely attended with fatal conse- 
quences. Fontana seems to doubt whether 
any well attested instance can be adduced 
of the viper having killed, any person by 
its bite, even in the warm climate of Italy. 
The testimonies of authors, both as to the 
nature of the poison itself, and its eft'ects 
on the animal frame, are, however, con- 
fessedly at variance. 
The viper, though so much dreaded on 
account of its bite, has been very highly 
esteemed both by the ancients and mo- 
derns as a restorative and strengthening 
diet. The ancients used the flesh of this 
snake in leprous and other cases. The 
Greek physician Craterus, cured, as Por-. 
