puffing adder

Hognosesnake \Hog"nose`snake"\ (Zool.)
   A harmless North American snake of the genus {Heterodon},
   esp. {Heterodon platyrhynos}; -- called also {puffing adder},
   {blowing adder}, and {sand viper}.
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Puffing \Puff"ing\,
   a. & n. from {Puff}, v. i. & t.
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   {Puffing adder}. (Zool.) Same as {Puff adder}
   (b), under {Puff}.

   {Puffing pig} (Zool.), the common porpoise.
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Adder \Ad"der\, n. [OE. addere, naddere, eddre, AS. n[ae]dre,
   adder, snake; akin to OS. nadra, OHG. natra, natara, Ger.
   natter, Goth. nadrs, Icel. na[eth]r, masc., na[eth]ra, fem.:
   cf. W. neidr, Gorn. naddyr, Ir. nathair, L. natrix, water
   snake. An adder is for a nadder.]
   1. A serpent. [Obs.] "The eddre seide to the woman."
      --Wyclif. Gen. iii. 4. )
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   2. (Zool.)
      (a) A small venomous serpent of the genus {Vipera}. The
          common European adder is the {Vipera berus} or {Pelias
          berus}. The puff adders of Africa are species of
          {Clotho}.
      (b) In America, the term is commonly applied to several
          harmless snakes, as the {milk adder}, {puffing adder},
          etc.
      (c) Same as {Sea Adder}.
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   Note: In the sculptures the appellation is given to several
         venomous serpents, -- sometimes to the horned viper
         ({Cerastles}).
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