OF SERF E N T S., 3 , 



ing this Story, relates from Authors, that (lie killed, herfelf,, by- 

 pouring the Poifon of an Afp into a Wound made in her Arnii 

 by her own Teeth ; as if under Convidion, that the Poifon would 

 not effe<flually anfwer the End, without touching the Blood, 3^d» 

 Of which more in the Second Part of this Difcourfe. 



III. I?i Serpents is an inexbaufiible Store of Poifon. If theydif-. 

 charge all their Artillery to-day, their Arfenal will be full to-, 

 morrow. 'Tis true, by a fpeedy repeated Emiflion of Poifon at 

 one time, the Viper lofes its force, probably by a Diminution iii 

 Quantity; but is recruited in a flaort fpace. Thus, one Viper 

 cannot poifon fix Creatures, one immediately after another 3 the 



Truth of which is confirmed by unconteftjble Fa6ts. — An 



Experiment was made by Dr. Areslime^ when he was at Paris. — » 

 Having got a large female Viper, he made it bite fix Pigeons, one 

 immediately after another. The firft and fecond that were bit,^ 

 died within half an Hour ; one a little before the other ; the third 

 lived about two Hours ; the fourth feem'd to be very fick for a 

 while, but recovered ; the fifth and fixth that were bitten, were 

 no more hurt than if prick'd with a Pin. Ibid. 



The learned Italian^ Siguier Pedi^ fays, that having, at the 

 Entrance of Winter, a Scorpion fent him to Kome from Tunis in 

 Africa^ he irritated it to fling Pigeons and Pullets, without any 

 bad EfFeds ; but upon the Approach of warm Weather, after eight 

 Months fafting it was provoked to fting two Pigeons fuccefiively^ 

 which foon died ; but the third and fourth received no hurt from 

 its Wound. 



The Author of the Natural Hijiory of Carolinay fpeaking of 

 the Rattle-Sriakes^ fays, they can't renew their Poifon as oft 

 as they will 3 for he had feen a Perfon bit by one of them, who 

 never rightly recovered, and very hardly efcaped with Life j and 

 another Perfon immediately after being bit by the fame Snake, re- 

 ceived no more Hurt than if bit by a Rat. p. 129.* 



N. B. Poifon in different Countries, is more or lefs dangerous 

 according as it is exalted and heightened by various Degrees 

 of Heat ; for by Increafe of Heat, that venemous Quality is 

 increafed. 



* New Colledlion of Voyages, printed A. D. 1711. 



F 2 Obje c- 



