We have in Great Britain only three representatives of the class Reptilia which come under the name of Snake. They are the Common Snake, the Smooth Snake and the Viper. In Ireland there are—as the result of events to which we referred in our previous number—none at all. Of the three British Snakes, one, the Smooth Snake,[1] is so rare that it is of interest only to the naturalist. It is met with in Hampshire and Dorset, and perhaps in Scotland, but it is nowhere frequent. It is more nearly allied to the Common Snake than to the Viper, and is quite harmless. It is much smaller than the others. We will concern ourselves for the present only with the other two. The Common Snake[2] is quite harmless and should never be injured by any humane person. The Viper[3] is venomous, and should be destroyed without mercy. It is easy enough to distinguish between the two even when in movement. The Common Snake is always, when full grown, much longer than the Viper. It may measure 4 feet and is usually 3, whilst the Viper is never more than 2. The Common Snake tapers off very gradually at its tail, whilst the Viper has a short tail, which is abruptly constricted at its base. The Viper is usually brown, often deeply coloured, whilst the Snake is much lighter coloured, of a light grey-brown tinged with green. The Common Snake has only spots of black, whilst the Viper is marked down the whole of its back with large zig-zag black lozenges. This is a most important feature, is characteristic at all ages of the animal, and is easily seen under all conditions.

We have named the characters which are most easily seen when the animal is gliding about on the sward or path, there are others which are available when the animal is dead or in captivity. Under such conditions it will be seen that the scales which clothe the Viper are much smaller in size than those of the Snake, more especially on the head, and further, that the head of the Viper is marked with black, somewhat in the form of the letter V.

Snakes, as well as Vipers, have sharp teeth, but they use them only for seizing their prey, and they have no poison fangs.

The venom apparatus of the Viper consists of a gland which secretes the poison, a receptacle which stores it, and a long, sharp fang, which can be extruded and through a groove in which the poison is conveyed. The animal darts open-mouthed at its enemy rather than bites. Its fang being in its upper jaw it becomes well exposed when the mouth is agape. As there is a fang on each side there will usually be two punctures in the skin about a third of an inch apart.

No doubt there occur every year in England a good many instances of viper-bites in men and boys. There are, however, exceedingly few deaths, and many persons of considerable experience have doubted whether the bite is ever actually fatal. A very urgent and severe illness is almost invariably the result; but the patient just pulls through.

In a case in which the writer was, in boyhood, a particeps, two fine vipers were captured in mistake. They were put into a botanical box and were repeatedly inspected, and their tongues freely touched. It was only when on arrival at home that one of them, during an attempt to transfer it to a cage, made a dart and struck the finger of a boy of fourteen. The accident was concealed until, about a quarter of an hour later in attempting to cross the floor, the victim fell down in a deadly faint. He became very sick and having been got to bed remained in collapse, apparently near death for several hours. Brandy was of course freely given.

The medical adviser who had been summoned, arrived in hot haste with a big volume under his arm, in order to make reference to “snake-bite” and its treatment. It was, however, too late to do anything more than give stimulants, and happily these were successful. A fortnight’s illness ensued, during the early part of which the whole arm was enormously swollen, and later partly covered with boils.

This case affords, we believe, a very fair example of what usually follows the incautious capture of the English adder. The reptile does not attack willingly, but only after much provocation, and he cannot, as a rule, destroy the life of his human enemy. His poison fangs are designed for other purposes, and for much smaller animals.

Within the last few weeks a case at Folkestone has attracted much attention, in which two school-boys in pursuit of what is called “Nature Study,” were bitten by a viper, with the result that one of them died. Several other well-authenticated instances of death have been recorded. We repeat, however, that they are very rare.

The early summer is the best time for killing vipers, since the males, which at other seasons hide themselves, may now often be found. Warm heaths and banks exposed to the sun are the places which they frequent. The common snake, on the other hand, loves water, or may be found in a hay-field or near an old barn or on a dung-heap. The snake lays eggs and leaves them to be hatched by the heat of the dung or the rays of the sun, taking no care whatever for her progeny. The viper, on the contrary, brings forth her young alive and tends them carefully, even allowing them, according to fairly well-accredited narratives, to retreat in case of danger into her mouth and gullet.

The first aid in case of viper-bite should consist in placing a tight ligature (string or a boot-lace) around the limb above the punctures. This should be as tight as possible so as to prevent the circulation of the blood and passage of the venom towards the heart. Next, incisions should be made across the punctures, or if circumstances are favourable, the bit of skin comprising the two punctures may be cut out. The wound thus made should be sucked or well bathed so as to favour bleeding, and to remove as much of the poison as can be got away. If ammonia or potash, or Jeye’s fluid or Condy’s fluid be at hand the wound should be continuously bathed with a weak solution of it. The ligature, if tight, should not be kept on for more than an hour, but by this time medical advice will probably have been obtained. To combat the faintness, &c., brandy, or still better ammonia (that is, sal volatile or hartshorn well diluted), should be given.

[1] Coronella lÆvis, or austriaca.