11. The usual and proper term for "serpent" in the New Test, is o(pig, a sna/ce of any kind ; but once (James iii, 7) tpTTiTov (elsewhere " creeping thing") is thus ren- dered. More specific terms, noticed above, are da7ri<;, 'ixi^va, SpaKijjv.
II. Scientijic Classification ami Characteristics. — 1. Systematical nomenclators and travellers enumerate considerably more than forty species of serpents in Northern Africa, Arabia, and Syria. Of these it is scarcely possible to point out with certainty a single one named in the Bible, where very few descriptive indications occur beyond what in scientific language would now be applied geuerically. It is true that, among the names of the list, several may be synonyms of one and the same species; still none but the most recent researches give characters sufficient to be de- pended upon, and as yet nothing like a complete her- petology of the regions in question has been estab- lished. For, snakes being able to resist a certain degree of cold, and also the greatest heat, there are instances of species being found, such as the hajes, precisel)' the same, from the Ganges to the Cape of (iood Hope; oth- ers, again, may be traced from Great Britain to Persia and Egypt, as is instanced in the common viper and its varieties. Instead, therefore, of making vain efforts at identifying all the serpents named, it will be a prefer- able course to assign them to their proper families, with the exception of those that can be pointed out with certainty; and in so doing it will appear that even now species of importance mentioned by the an- cients are far from being clearly established.
Serpents may be divided generally into two very distinct sections — the first embracing all those that are provided with movable tubular fangs and poison-bags in the upper jaw; all regarded as ovo-viviparous, and called by contraction vipers: they constitute not quite one fifth of the species hitherto noticed by naturalists. The second section, much more numerous, is tlie colu- brine, not so armed, but not therefore always entirely innocuous, since there may be in some cases venomous secretions capable of penetrating into the wounds made by their fixed teeth, which in all serpents are single points, and in some species increase in size as they stand back in the jaws. The greater part, if not all, of these comparatively innocuous species are oviparous, including the largest or giant snakes, and the pelamis and hydrophis, or water-serpents, among which several are venomous.
If we are right in the above identification, one class of serpents, the cobra tribe, may be regarded as the type of the most venomous in the East. The genus Naja — Haridi (V) of Savary — is distinguished by a plaited head, large, very venomous fangs, a neck dilatable un-
SERPENT
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SERPENT
der excitement, which raises the ribs of the anterior part of the body into the form of a disk or hood, when the scales, usually not imbricated, but lying in juxta- position, are separated, and expose the skin, which at that time displays bright iridescent gleams, contrast- ing highly with their brown, yellow, and bluish colors. The species attain at least an equal, if not a superior, size to the generality of the genus viper; are more massive in their structure ; and some possess the facul- ty of self-inflation to triiile their diameter, gradually forcing the body upwards into an erect position, until, by a convulsive crisis, they are said suddenly to strike backwards at an enemy or a pursuer. Capt. Stevens, of the Royal Marines, in order to ascertain the truth of the universal report concerning the mode of striking back ascribed to the serpent, had a quill introduced into the vent of one lying dead on the table, and blown into. The skin distended till the body rose up nearly all its length ; he then caused the experiment to stop, from the alarming attitude it assumed.
2. Among the various tribes of animals which are inimical to man, there is none that can compare with the venomous snakes for the deadly fatality of their enmity : the lightning stroke of their poison-fangs is the unerring signal of a swift dissolution, preceded by torture the most horrible. The bite of a vigorous ser- pent has been known to produce death in two minutes. Even where the consummation is not so fearfully rapid, its delay is but a brief prolongation of the intense suf- fering. The terrible symptoms are thus described : A sharp pain in the part, which becomes swollen, shining, hot, red, then livid, cold, and insensible. The pain and inflammation spread, and become more intense; fierce shooting pains are felt in other parts, and a burning fire pervades the body. The eyes water profusely; then come swoonings, sickness, and bilious vomitings, difla- cult breathing, cold sweats, and sharp pains in the loins. The skin becomes deadly pale or deep yellow, while a black watery blood runs from the wound, which changes to a yellowish matter. Violent headache succeeds, and giddiness, faintness, and overwhelming terrors, burning thirst, gushing discharges of blood from the orifices of the body, intolerable fetor of breath, convulsive hic- coughs, and death.
The agent of these terrible results is an inodorous, tasteless, yellow fluid, secreted by peculiar glands seated on the clieeks, and stored for use in membranous bags, placed at the side of each upperjaw, and envel- oping the base of a large,