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ness to inflict a wound, these two poison fangs

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A Snake Charmer.

BERTRAND'S

assume a recumbent position, so as not to interfere with the action of the ordinary teeth, which are

firmly fixed, very small, and most admirably formed to seize their prey, and to send it down into the stomach.

All snakes have these teeth, used only for the purpose of snatching, as mastication or grinding of food in the mouth cannot be performed by them. The prey is laid hold of by these crooked little teeth in the first instance, after which it is slowly swallowed, without undergoing any change after entering the mouth.

At the root of the two poison fangs are smaller ones, but much too pliable and tender to inflict a wound. They appear to be a provision by nature, in case accident or disease should render the mature fangs unserviceable. Take away the mature fangs, and immediately the snake is rendered harmless.

The people who profess to be snake-charmers, always take care to have these fangs extracted before they exhibit the reptiles in public. If they dared to insert the hand into the mouth of a snake possessing uninjured fangs, a bite would be the certain consequence, and either death or terrible pain the result.

It would be difficult to 'demonstrate why poisonous fangs have been given by nature to some snakes and denied to others. If for the purpose of defence, then we might look for them in all snakes. So far as I have been able to observe, they are seldom brought into action by the snake which possesses them.

Snakes are not revengeful, neither are they 'prone

to be the aggressors. I would hazard a 10conjecture that snakes, in capturing their food, very seldom if ever, make use of their poison fangs; because a snake without these fangs can just as easily secure its prey as a snake with them.

In the damp and gloomy forests of "Guiana are to be found some of the largest snakes as yet discovered. There, basking in the noonday sun, wherever an opening in the dense foliage will admit his rays, these magnificent monsters enjoy an undisturbed repose during the day. When night sets in, they leave their favourite haunts and silently glide forth in quest of food.

Most lovely are the colours of some snakes when exposed to the rays of a 12tropical sun, but they fade in death, and cannot possibly be restored by any application at present known.

All snakes, in gliding onwards, take a motion from right to left or 13vice versâ, but never up and down, the whole extent of the body being in contact with the ground, saving the head, which is somewhat elevated. This is equally observable both on land and in water. When we see a snake represented in an up and down attitude, we therefore know the artist is to blame.

In no instance have I seen a snake act on the offensive. But when roused into action by the fear of sudden danger, in self-defence a snake will punish the intruder by a prick, not a 11laceration, from the poison fang, fatal or not fatal, according to its size or 15virulence. Waterton.

Describe the poison fang of the snake-the teeth-the manner of taking food-the homes of snakes-manner of moving. What is meant by tropical countries? Say what you know of Guiana. When only do snakes use their poison fangs?

'fang, generally means a long pointed tooth; it means also anything by which hold is taken. 2 scythe, an instrument for mowing, composed of a long curving blade with a sharp edge made fast to a handle. 3 convex, rounded; the outside of a ball is of a convex form. pioneer, one who goes before to prepare a way for another. recumbent, lying down. "pliable, easily bent; flexible. 'demonstrate, to show, prove, or establish so as to exclude the possibility of doubt or denial. revengeful, full of revenge; desirous of inflicting injury for some real or supposed wrong. prone, inclined; disposed. 10 conjecture, an opinion formed on slight evidence; a surmise. Guiana, a country in the north of South America. tropical, pertaining to or within the tropics. (see app.) 13 vice versâ, these words mean change the terms used, putting the last first, thus, left to right. "laceration, wound made by tearing or rending. 15 virulence, poison.

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PEOPLE used to believe that snakes could be 1charmed. The Indian by various artifices professed to exercise a mysterious influence on the poisonous reptile, which had the effect of pleasing or irritating it with impunity. The belief that the charmers can handle poisonous snakes without suffering hurt received a sad shock by a circumstance which occurred in Madras. One of the most noted serpent charmers about the district chanced one

morning to get hold of a cobra of considerable size, which he had conveyed to his home.

He was occupied abroad all day, and had not time to get the dangerous fang extracted from the serpent's mouth. In the evening he returned to his dwelling, considerably excited with liquor, and began to exhibit tricks with his snakes to various persons who were around him at the time. The newly caught cobra darted at his chin, and bit it, making two marks like pin points. The poor 'juggler was sobered in an instant. “I am a dead man,” he exclaimed; "nothing can save me." His 'professional knowledge was but too accurate. In two hours he was a corpse.

What can be done to save the life of a person who has been bitten by a cobra or any other poisonous serpent? It is within the bounds of possibility-may it not be so?-that the reader of these pages may be so unfortunate as to be bitten by a snake; my advice to him would be, instantly to suck the wound as hard as he can for some time. Care must be taken at the same time that the skin inside the mouth be perfect and unbroken; for, by a wise provision of nature, no external poison is an internal poison, and vice versa. Whether the saliva 10decomposes the poison or not, we are as yet ignorant; suffice it to say, that the poison of the snake is innocent when taken into the stomach, but most deadly when applied to an external wound, however minute. We all of us recollect the story of Queen Eleanor, sucking the

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