PELIAS. (Gr. proper name.)

been reported. Seldom has the bite of the Viper proved mortal; and in all probability, had proper precautions been taken, no case would have been fatal. Viper-catchers employ olive oil as a remedy against the bite, and, from all accounts, it appears to be a certain preservative against all evil effects. The oil should be heated to produce its full efficacy.

It is asserted that, when danger threatens, the female viper opens her mouth and permits her brood to hide themselves, but it is by

no means an ascer

tained fact.

Frogs, lizards,

mice, and other small animals, form the food of this

reptile, but sometimes it falls a victim to its own voracity. In the Magazine of Natural History, a Viper is mentioned which had swallowed a lizard nearly as large as itself, and one of whose legs was protruding from its side.

In former times, preparations from Vipers, and especially viper-broth, were in great request as medicines.

The BOA-CONSTRICTOR.-The enormous Boa-constrictor inhabits tropical America. It is not venomous, but is not the less dangerous, as the tremendous power of its muscles enables it to crush its prey in the coils of its huge body. In order to procure its food, the Boa-constrictor lies in wait by the side of some river or pool, where animals of all kinds are likely to come to quench their thirst. It patiently waits until some animal draws within reach, when, with one spring, the Boa fixes its teeth in the creature's head, coils its body round its victim, and crushes it to death. After the unfortunate animal has been reduced almost to a shapeless mass by the pressure of the snake, its destroyer makes preparations for swallowing it entire, a task which it accomplishes, although the slaughtered animal is usually very much larger than the dimensions of the serpent. At last, the snake succeeds in swallowing its prey, and then

lies torpid for nearly a month, until its enormous meal is digested, when it again sallies forth in search of another.

Sub-order II.. COLUBRĪNA.-(Lat. Coluber, a Snake.)
Family IV. . . Boldæ.

Even the buffalo has been known to fall a victim to this fearful serpent, whose length frequently exceeds twenty-five feet.

The COBRA DE CAPELLO is a native of India. It must not be confounded with several other hooded snakes, such as the Haje of Egypt, the snake so frequently depicted on the hieroglyphical monuments.

The serpent-charmers invariably use this formidable reptile for their performances. The exhibitors possess several Cobras shut up in baskets, and when commencing their performances, the lid of the basket is opened, and the snake creeps out. Its course is arrested by the sound of the rude fife that the charmer always carries, and it immediately expands its beautiful though threatening hood, erects its neck, and commences a series of undulating movements, which are continued until the sound of the fife ceases, when the snake instantly drops, and is replaced in its basket

by its master. The charmers appear to be able to discover snakes, and to induce them to leave their retreats. Indeed it is rather a singular fact, that those travellers who most strongly insist that the snakes thus caught are tame and divested of their fangs, appear to forget that even in that case the creatures must have been previously caught in order to deprive them of their weapons. The length of this snake is about five or six feet.

Family V. Colubridæ.-(Lat. Coluber, a Snake.)
NAJA. (Native name.)

A Cobra in the Zoological Gardens was a long time in learning caution. It was accustomed to lie coiled up at the bottom of the cage until a spectator came close, when it invariably darted at him, of course striking its nose against the glass with no small violence. On my first visit to the Reptile House after its arrival, it made its customary attack, and after the space of a week, it again struck at me. On my next visit, several months afterwards, it laid very quietly at the bottom of its cage, and contented itself with a hiss.

The Egyptian Asp, or Haje, is supposed to be the asp by whose bite

Cleopatra died, and is in all probability the deaf adder alluded to in the Scriptures, "which stoppeth her ears, and refuseth to hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely."

The COMMON RINGED or GRASS SNAKE is a harmless inhabitant of this country, and may be frequently seen or heard gliding along the hedge-banks in search of food. It is easily tamed, and soon learns to

NATRIX. (Lat. a Water Snake.)

Torquata (Lat. collared), the Ringed Snake.

know its master. It lives principally on frogs, mice, young birds, newts, &c. It is an excellent swimmer, and from the peculiar structure of its lungs can remain under water for some time. It seems very fond of the water, and is most commonly found on marshy land, or in hedges planted over a wet ditch. The viper, on the contrary prefers dry sandy situations.

Several snakes kept tame at a village in Wiltshire were fed with frogs and small newts, which latter animals the snake was induced to swallow, by the simple process of opening the snake's mouth and pushing the newt down its throat. This plan, although apparently rather rude, seemed to cause the snakes no inconvenience.

Like all other serpents, the Ringed Snake sheds its skin several times during the year. The entire skin comes off, even the covering of the eyes. A rent opens in the neck, and the snake, by entangling itself in the thick grass or bushes, actually creeps out of its skin, turning it inside out in the effort.

The TORTOISE.-The whole of this order is characterised by the complete suit of bony armour with which the animals are protected. The so-called "shell" is in fact a development of various bones, and not a mere horny appendage, like the coverings of the armadillo and manis. The upper shield is called the "carapace," and is united to the under shield, or "plastron," by certain bones, leaving orifices for the protrusion of the head and limbs. Most species are able to withdraw their head

and limbs completely within the shell, and in some few the orifices are closed by a kind of hinge joint. The tortoiseshell of commerce is a series of horny plates that cover the exterior of the shield, and is in great request on account of the beautiful wavy markings that are so familiar to our eyes.

Order III.. CHELONĨA.—(Gr. Xeλavn, a Tortoise.)
Family I. Testudinidæ.-(Lat. Testudo, a Tortoise.)

The Tortoises and Turtles possess no teeth, but the sides of their jaws are very hard and sharp, enabling them to crop vegetable substances, or to inflict a severe bite.

The family is divided into Land Tortoises, Marsh Tortoises, River Tortoises, and Marine Tortoises, or Turtles.

The COMMON LAND TORTOISE is found in abundance in the south of Europe. It is often kept in captivity in this country, and is very long lived, individuals being known to have exceeded two hundred years. Its movements are very slow, but it can excavate a burrow with unexpected rapidity. Secure in an impenetrable covering, it bids defiance to any ordinary enemy, except, as Sydney Smith wittily observes, "man, and the boa-constrictor. Man, however, takes him home and roasts him, and the boa-constrictor swallows him whole, shell and all, and consumes him slowly in the interior, as the Court of Chancery does a great estate."

I had a common Land Tortoise for a few months, part of whose life is described in the following passage, which has already appeared as a note to White's "Natural History of Selborne."

Some time since, a man arrived in Oxford, bringing with him tortoises