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Show 638 MR. H.T. USSHER ON VIPERA NASICORNIS. | Nov. 7, or determinations wherein I differ from those given in the British- Museum Catalogue. 3. O n the Habits of the Horned-nosed Viper (Vipera nasicornis). By H E R B E R T TAYLOR U S S H E R , C.M.Z.S., Administrator of the Government, Gold Coast. [Received August 1, 1871.] Having lately kept specimens of Vipera nasicornis in captivity, I think that a few notes on their habits may not be uninteresting. The first I had was a female, which I ultimately despatched along with two males to this Society; but Mr. Blissett, who took charge of them to England, has since informed me that the female died on the voyage. She was at first very sluggish, and I could scarcely get her to move. One afternoon I went on to the terrace where her cage was kept at Government House, and found the whole place swarming with young ones. I carefully watched the process of parturition, and found that the young snakes came from the mother in a sort of skin; this, however, they speedily rubbed off, and at once crawled away in various directions. From this circumstance I am led to infer that the mother does not care for her offspring, and that they at once commence to shift for themselves. I gave away many of the young ones, which numbered twenty-one in all, to various persons, some to Mr. Blissett. Their colours were peculiarly beautiful, especially the lance-shaped mark on the head, which was like black velvet. They were very venomous little creatures, one of them biting a mouse and killing it in five minutes: this, too, on the day it was born. The adult male is distinguished from the female by its brighter colours. She is much darker and more grey, although I think generally larger than the male. After the young were born the female above referred to became very ill-tempered, and when the two males were placed in her cage she turned round and bit one with great violence, leaving one of her fangs about three-quarters of an inch in length sticking in his back. He, however, appeared not to suffer the slightest inconvenience and was never the worse for it. When striking their prey these Serpents seize it with great rapidity and firmness, and appear to shake it as a terrier would a rat. A puppy died in a minute and a half after the stroke, although only bitten in the ear ; a chicken only lived about ten seconds! These reptiles are common in the Fantee country, but are rarely seen, as they fly at the approach of man. Since then I have observed a fine specimen of Vipera rhinoceros, which is likewise found in the neighbourhood of Cape-Coast Castle, seize and devour its prey. As soon as the rat (a full-sized |
