Venoms; venomous animals and antivenomous serum-therapeutics . Fig. 36.—Skull of Bitis arietans (the Puff Adder).(After G. A. Boulenger, ojh cit.) Habitat: This snake is met with throughout Africa, fromSouthern Morocco, Kordofan, and Somaliland, to the Cape of GoodHope, and also in Southern Arabia. It is especially common nearthe Niger and on the Congo. When irritated, it puffs itself out to such an extent that its THE PBINCIPAL SPECIES OF POISONOUS SNAKES 71 body becomes twice the oudiuary size. It then doubles back itshead and neck in the shape of an S, and emits a loud andprolonged hiss. Be
Venoms; venomous animals and antivenomous serum-therapeutics . Fig. 36.—Skull of Bitis arietans (the Puff Adder).(After G. A. Boulenger, ojh cit.) Habitat: This snake is met with throughout Africa, fromSouthern Morocco, Kordofan, and Somaliland, to the Cape of GoodHope, and also in Southern Arabia. It is especially common nearthe Niger and on the Congo. When irritated, it puffs itself out to such an extent that its THE PBINCIPAL SPECIES OF POISONOUS SNAKES 71 body becomes twice the oudiuary size. It then doubles back itshead and neck in the shape of an S, and emits a loud andprolonged hiss. Before biting, it first strikes a blow with its head. Fig. 37.—Bitis arietans (the Puff Adder). (After^^Dumeril and Bibron. as with a battering-ram, thus justifying its French name, vipereheurtante (Striking Viper). The natives of South Africa assert that this Viper is able to 72 VENOMS spring high enough to strike a rider on horseback. It feeds uponrats and mice, in search of which it often approaches habitations. The Hottentots hunt it in order to obtain its venom; theypound its head between stones, and mix the pulp with the juiceof certain plants for the purpose of poisoning their arrows. It lives for a fairly long time in captivity. At the PasteurInstitute at Lille I have succeeded in keeping one of these snakesfor two years, feeding it by forcing milk and eggs down its throat. (2) B. peringueyi.—Nostrils opening upwards and covered with small, strongly keeled scales, which are smalleston the vertex; 11 scales round the eye; 8 series of scales betweenthe eye and the lip; 11—14 supralabials. Scales on the bodyin 25
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubject, booksubjectserpents
