NATURAL HISTORY. 303 



strikes back. He did not move, he was asleep. !Not daring 

 to shuffle my feet, lest he should awake and spring upon me, 

 I took a jump backwards, that would have done honour to a 

 gymnastic master, and thus darted outside the door of the 

 room ; with a thick stick I then returned and settled his wor- 

 ship." 



The same author remarks in his "Five Years' Residence in 

 South Africa," that its (the puff adder's) bite will kill occa- 

 sionally within an hour. 



" One of my friends lost a favourite and valuable horse by 

 its bite in less than two hours after the attack. It is a slug- 

 gish reptile, and therefore more dangerous, for instead of rush- 

 ing away like its fellows, at the sound of approaching footsteps, 

 it half raises its head and hisses. Often have I come to a sud- 

 den pull up on foot or on horseback, on hearing their dreaded 



warning. 



CERASTES. (Gr. Kf/iucrrr/f, horned.) 



Hasselquistii (Lat. of Hasselquist], the Cerastes. 



The CERASTES is a well-known snake in Egypt, and derives 

 its name from the horny scale over each eyebrow. Bruce 

 mentions that the Cerastes can spring several feet in any 



