Am.  Jour.  Phamj. 
May,  18!  9. 
Notes  and  News. 
xvii 
NOTES  AND  NEWS. 
Abnormal  Development  of  a  Rattlesnake's  Fangs.— The  photograph 
which  is  presented  herewith  was  sent  to  the  Scientific  American  by  Dr.  R. 
Menger,  of  San  Antonio,  Tex.,  and  is  a  life-like  representation  of  the  head  of 
the  much  dreaded  rattlesnake,  the  Crotalus  horridus.  The  following  descrip- 
tion appeared  in  the  March  25th  issue  of  the  aforesaid  publication,  to  whom  we 
are  also  indebted  for  the  loan  of  the  cut.  The  original  reptile  was  a  very  large 
rattlesnake,  and  was  killed  by  a  friend  of  Dr.  Menger  in  the  hills  of  Helotes, 
about  eighteen  miles  northwest  of  San  Antonio.  The  rattles  and  the  head  of 
this  snake  were  presented  to  him  and  he  prepared  the  fangs,  etc.,  to  show  their 
relation  to  the  poison  glands.  The  head  was  supplied  with  four  fangs,  two  full 
grown  and  two  others  near  them  in  the  front  region  of  the  upper  jaw.  The 
exposure  was  taken  by  lamplight.  The  fact  of  the  snake  having  four  fangs  is 
interesting.  In  all  rattlesnakes  there  are,  besides  the  poison  fangs,  rudimentary 
fangs  which,  upon  the  loss  of  the  old  fangs,  develop  and  supply  their  place.  In 
this  case,  however,  the  development  has  been  abnormal,  and  the  second  pair  of 
fangs  have  developed  before  any  loss  of  the  old  fangs  has  been  sustained. 
Solder  for  Glass. — A  metallic  compound  which  firmly  adheres  to  glasses 
obtained  by  melting  together  95  per  cent,  (by  weight)  of  tin  and  five  parts  of 
zinc.  The  M.  P.  lies  at  about  2000  (C?)  and  the  compound  is  spread  upon  the 
glass  previously  heated  to  this  temperature,  by  means  of  a  soldering  iron.  After 
it  cools  it  adheres  firmly  to  the  glass.  Another  alloy,  consisting  of  nine  parts  of 
tin  and  one  part  of  aluminium  may  be  used,  but  the  M.  P.  is  higher  (about  3900). 
— Scient.  Amer.,  1898,  p.  230,  from  Gold  u.  Silberwaaren  Indus. 
