I have experienced at the hands of a large number of our ministers, consuls, or consular agents abroad the most cordial reception on repeatedly addressing myself to them in order to obtain the papers or information of which I was in need. It is only right for me to thank them for it, and to acknowledge the trouble that M. Masson has most kindly taken in publishing this book. A. CALMETTE. _Institut Pasteur de Lille, March 10, 1907._ TABLE OF CONTENTS. PART I. Page CHAP. I.--I. General notes on poisonous animals 1 II. General classification of poisonous snakes. Their anatomo-physiological characters 3 CHAP. II.--Habits of poisonous snakes. Their capture 17 CHAP. III.--Description of the principal species of poisonous snakes. Their geographical distribution 22 A. _Europe_ 22 B. _Asia, Dutch Indies and Philippine Islands_ 30 C. _Africa_ 57 D. _Australia and adjacent large islands_ 81 E. _America_ 100 F. _Hydrophiidæ_ (_sea-snakes_) 131 G. _Geographical distribution of the principal genera of poisonous snakes in the five divisions of the world_ 142 PART II. CHAP. IV.--Secretion and collection of venom in snakes 147 CHAP. V.--Chemical study of snake-venoms 159 CHAP. VI.--Physiological action of snake-venoms 168 A. Physiology of poisoning in man and in animals bitten by the different species of poisonous snakes (_Colubridæ_, _Viperidæ_, _Hydrophiidæ_) 168 B. Physiology of experimental poisoning 170 C. Determination of the lethal doses of venom for different species of animals 173 D. Effects of venom in non-lethal doses 177 CHAP. VII.--Physiology of poisoning (_continued_). Effects of the various venoms on the different tissues of the organism 179 (1) Action upon the liver 182 (2) Action upon the kidney 183 (3) Action upon the spleen, heart and lungs 183 (4) Action upon the striated muscles 184 (5) Action upon the nervous centres 185 CHAP. VIII.--Physiology of poisoning (_continued_). Action of venoms on the blood 188