Identifier: reptilesbirds00figu (find matches)
Title: Reptiles and birds : a popular account of their various orders, with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting
Year: 1883 (1880s)
Authors: Figuier, Louis, 1819-1894 Gillmore, Parker
Subjects: Reptiles Birds
Publisher: London : Cassell & Co.
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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erica, where four other species are recognised—one of them beingfound as far north as Mexico.) The Fer-de-Lance (C. laiiceolatus, Fig. 18) attains to a length ofnearly six feet; its colour generally yellow, sometimes greyish, oreven marbled with brown; the head, which is large, is remarkablefor a triangular space, the three angles of which are occupied by themuzzle and the two eyes. This space, raised at its front edge, represents the head of alance, large at its base and slightly rounded at the summit. Oneach side of the upper jaw, one, sometimes two, and even three,fangs are visible; all of which the animal makes use of for the pur- D * 74 REPTILES AND BIRDS. pose of wounding and discharging his venom. Of the poison fangsof the Fer-de-Lance, Professor Owen remarks, that they (in commonwith the Rattlesnake and Viper) are coated with a thin layer of asub-transparent and minutely cellular cement. This disposition ofthe dentinal tubes is obedient to the general law of verticality, and
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Fig. i8.—Fer-de-Lance. the external surface of the tooth can be exposed to no other pressurethan that of the turgescent duct with which it is in contact. Itfeeds on lizards and the smaller mammals, especially rats, but itis capable of killing large animals, such as oxen. The negroesworking among the sugar-cane, and soldiers in the Martinique service,often become victims to the Fer-de-Lance. This snake is, unfor-tunately, very prolific \ and its venom is so subtle, that animals bitten RA TTLRSNAKES. f% by it invariably die within a few hours of becoming inoculatedwith the poison. The wound produces extreme pain, and is im-mediately followed by more or less livid swelling; the body be-comes cold and insensible, the pulse and respiration slower, thehead confused, coma appears, and the skin turns bluish; some-times extreme thirst and spitting of blood are experienced, tillparalysis attacks the whole system. Other species are known in South America, viz., C. hrasiliensis,C. bilineatus, C

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