475 
the poisonous fangs of serpents . 
I have to thank Sir Everard Home for the great interest 
that he has taken in the object of my enquiry, and for the 
assistance which he has afforded me ; on the value of which 
it would be needless to enlarge before the Members of this 
Society. 
The drawings annexed to the paper will sufficiently attest 
my obligations to Mr. Clift. I owe much to him, in addition, 
for the zeal with which he exhibited to me every thing in the 
Museum of which he has the custody, that was likely to pro- 
mote my views, and for information upon several points, 
which was required in the progress of the investigation. 
Description of Plate XX1L 
a, b , c, d, are representations of the poisonous fangs of the 
cobra de capello, in four stages of their growth. 
A, B, C, D, are magnified representations of the same. 
A, is a full grown fang firmly fixed to the bone. 
B, is not quite perfect, the lower part of the foramen at the 
base not being yet formed. 
C, in this a very small part of the foramen is formed. 
D, the part of the tooth above the foramen alone appears. 
E, F, G, are end views of B, C, D, showing the poison 
tube nearly surrounded by the cavity which contains the 
pulp, and the proportions between them, at three different 
parts of the tooth. 
H, a section made by sawing the full grown fang A, just 
above the lower foramen, showing the rounded edges of the 
slit, which consequently leave a slight channel along the 
tooth. 
I, K, magnified representations of sections of the fangs of 
MDCCCXVIII. 3 Q 
