. Reptiles and birds : a popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting . much as the Hama-dryas. It has been obtained in the Himalayas at an elevation of5,500 feet, at Almorah, and elsewhere. Mr. Theobald has knownone to kill a Bull-terrier in twenty minutes. The D. xanthina isa second species of this form inhabiting Asia Minor. The genus Clothe consists of the terrible Puff-adders of Africa,of which there are at least four or five species. Among the bestknown of them are the ordinary Puff-adder (C. arietans), and theBerg-adder (
. Reptiles and birds : a popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting . much as the Hama-dryas. It has been obtained in the Himalayas at an elevation of5,500 feet, at Almorah, and elsewhere. Mr. Theobald has knownone to kill a Bull-terrier in twenty minutes. The D. xanthina isa second species of this form inhabiting Asia Minor. The genus Clothe consists of the terrible Puff-adders of Africa,of which there are at least four or five species. Among the bestknown of them are the ordinary Puff-adder (C. arietans), and theBerg-adder (), of theCape PhinocerosPuff-adder, C. na-sicornis, of Guinea,has the scales overthe nostrils of themale produced intoa long recurvedspine ; and in theHorned Puff-ad-der, C. cornuta, ofSouth Africa,thereis a group of smallhorn - like scalesover each of the Common and of the Rhinoceros Puff-adders may generally beseen in the reptile house of the London Zoological Gardens. Thelast mentioned is a huge Viper of wondrous beauty, both ofcolourino- and in the complex pattern of its markings, especially. Fig. 21.—The Horned Puff-adder (Clotho cornuta). 90 OPHIDIAN EEPTILES. as seen when it has newly shed its ejjidermis; but the aspect of itssurprisingly broad, flat, and triangular-shaped head unmistakablybetokens its terrific powers. Its head is remarkably massive. Onepeculiarity of the Puff-adders is that they sometimes hold on totheir victim by their long fangs. Thus, of the common C. arietansSir A. Smith remarks that although generally inactive, it is byno means so when attacked—its movements are then bold andenergetic, and when once it seizes the obnoxious object, it retainsits hold with great determination, and some considerable exertionis often necessary to detach it. * The traveller Burchell remarksof this Snake that its venom is said to be most fatal, takino- effect so rapidly asto leave the personwho has the mis-fortune to be bittenno chanc
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecad, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectreptiles
