252 POPULAR SCRIPTURE ZOOLOGY.

quently to inflict wounds, without allowing sufficiently long
intervals to elapse for it to recover its powers, each succes-
sive bite becomes less and less effective*. The situation
of the poison, which is in a manner behind the upper lip,
gives great propriety to the expression ‘adders’ poison
is under their lips.’ The usage of the Hebrew language
renders it by no means improbable, that the fang itself is
called a tongue in the same verse, ‘they have sharpened
their tongue like a serpent, as a serpent might be said to
sharpen its tongue when, in preparing to strike, it protruded
its fangt.””

There are so many allusions in the Bible to serpent-
charming, that this slight notice would be incomplete with-
out some allusion to a practice so well known, and early
alluded to. In the 58th Psalm the following expression
occurs, in speaking of the wicked, “They are like the
deaf adder, that stoppeth her ear, which will not hearken
to the voice of the charmer, charming never so wisely,”
or, as the marginal reading explains it, “be the charmer
never so cunning ;” in Ecclesiastes x., “Surely the serpent
will bite, without enchantment ;” and again in Jeremiah
viii, “ Behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices among you,

* Bell’s ‘ British Reptiles.’ + Pictorial Bible.