Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-08-31
MONTPELIER, VERMONT, THURSDAY,


siderable force thus it is carried to the bottom
of any wound made by the fang Unless the
fangs are erected for battle, theylie concealed
in the upper part Of the mouth, sunk between
tho external and internal jaw-bohcs, somewhat
like pen-knife blade shut up in its handle,
where they arc coveredby a fold Of membrane,
which encloses then like sheath--this is the
ragina Gntis. There can be no doubt that these
fangs are frequently broken of Or. shed, as the
head grows broader, to mako room for new
ones nearer the verge of the mouth; for, within
the vagina dentis of very large cretalus hor.
ridus, found no less than fYe fangs on each
side--in all stages of formation--the smallest in
a half pulpy or cartlaginoas state, the next
something harder, the third still more perfect
and SO on to the main, welEset, perfect fang
Each of these teeth had well-defned hollow
like the main one. Three farigs on leach side
were frequently found lnffopNss.dhtads, vipers
and others.
The process OF robbing serpents Of their ven
ON is easily accomplished by the aid of chloro-
form, a few drops of which stupefes them. IT.,
while they are under its influence, they are care
fully seized by the neck, and the vagina dentis
held out ofthe way by an assistant, with pair
of forccps, and the fang be erected and gently
pressed upward, the venom will be seen issuing
from the fang, and dropping from its point. 1t
may then be absorbed by a bit of sponge, Or
caught in vial, or on the point of a lancet.
After robbing several sorpcnts in this manner,
they were found, after two days, to be as highly
charged as ever with venom of equal intensity
with that first taken.
During the process of robbing several species
of scrpents, inoculated several small but vigor-
Gus and perfectly healthy vegetables with the
point Of lancet we'll charged with venom. The
next day they were withcred and dead, looking
as thougi. they had bacn scathed with light
ming. In attempting oppressive few drops of
venom, for future experiments, in a small vial
with two or three parts of alcohol, it WAS found
in short tim3 to have lost its venomous prop
critics. But after mixing the venom with aqua
ammonia, or spirits of tarpentine, Or oil of Gin
namon, Or Of peppermint, or of cloves, or with
nitric Or sui phuric acid, it still seemed to act
with uudimnshod energy. 1t is bcst preserved
however, for future use, by trituration with re-
fined sugar or sugar Of milk.
A very fine, large. cotton-mouthod snake, be-
ing capturcd by putting a shoe string around
i'm, became excessively fcro:ious, striking at
even the crack Of a small riding whip. Finding
himself a prisoner, without hope of escape, he
turned his deadly weapons on his own body,
striking repeatedly his wel-charged fangs deep
lyinto his flesh Notwithstanding this he was
pat in small basket, and cl,rrod forward. In
on9 hour after, be waS>Ioisd.1 dead, and no
;.s'..'' :..:.s 3 ':1'.~ ii: is'''''r''.
A large rattlesnake, boislaod instantly with
a hoe, would, an hour and ;SSl,alf after. strike
at anything that pnched i|s tail OF several
persons who were testing their iirmness of nerve
by trying to hold the hand steady while the
serpent struck at it, not one could be found
whose hand would not reco in spite of his res
olntion; and one man, great bully by the by,
was struck on the naked throat with consider
Ablo force by the headless trunk Of the serpent,
and staggered back, tainted ahd fell from ter
rJT.
Sven vcnemous serpcnts; belonging to five
different species, wero made to fraternize and
dwell amicably in one den. A beautiful pair
of long bodied speckled snakes, known as king
snakes, known to be fangloss, and consequently
without venom, were duly installed as members
of the family, Some unoasness was perceivublc
among the older members, but no attempt was
made to destroy the intruders-thoagh they
might have been killed instapter. The next
morning four Of the venomoas serpcnts were
found to have been destroyed by the king snakes
and one was still within their coil, and the two
remaining ones would make no effort at s.lf-de.
fen"c. A large rAttlesuake seemed stupid and
indifferent to lis fate. lIo could not be made
to threaten Or give warning even with his rat
ties. Th- smallest king-snake was afterwards
inoculatod with the poison Of one of the SER
pcnts he had destroyed, and died Immediately
aiter-th0s ovincing that they mast have ex
ercised some power besides physical force to over
come their fellow serpents.