42 ANATURALHISTORY 



This I (land of Ceylon is one of the moft charming Situations 

 on the Earth, the Key and Glory of the Indies ; the Air fo tem- 

 perate, that, properly fpeaking, they feel neither Heat nor Cold j 

 the Vales and Hills are always cover'd with Flowers, the Fields 

 cover'd with Fruits of all Sorts j and in the Woods are Serpents 

 call'd Lizards, full three Hands long, whofe Flefh is excellent 

 Meat *. 



In the fecond Part is a more ample Defcription of Ceylon, 



The Iguafta Serpent is amphibious, lays numerous Eggs, 

 grateful to the Tafte, is very good Nourifhment, preferable to 

 Spanijlj Rabbits; and in the City of Mexico thefe Serpents are 

 brought to the Markets, efpecially in the quadragefimal Days. 



A Spanifi Hiftorian fays, the Iguanas are fhap'd like the Alli- 

 gatorSy very ugly, as big as Lap-dogs, of feveral Colours 5 the 

 Spaniards obferve, that their Fle0i taftes like the Pheafants, and 

 feed upon it with Plcafure *f-. 



The learned Riy fpeaking of the Lihoya, that monftrous 

 Jlmerican Serpcntj fays, that after it has fwallow'd a large Ani- 

 mal, its Head grows heavy and fleepy, that it can neither run nor 

 fight ; the Hunters finding it in this fi:upid Pofture, foon firangle 

 him with a Rope j and being kill'd, cut the Carcafs into Parcels, 

 and fell the Flefli for Food,, which is reckon'd a delightful Enter- 

 tainment :|:. The fame Author adds, that both yllfricafis and 

 Americans having cut off the Head and Tail of the Kanina Ser- 

 pent, eat the Body as part of their conftant Repaft. Ibid. 328. 



BRASILIAN Serpents call'd Lizards are flay'd, broil'd as 

 little Fifhes, and eaten by the Negroes or Blackmoors that are 

 tranfported into that Country from Africa. 



I A M inforiTi'd of a Gentleman of the Law at Ludloiv, who 

 having prick'd a living Toad in various Parts, fucks its Moifture, 

 and leaves it as much a Skeleton as the Purfe of a Client. 



T H u s we fee that the ^y mighty is fo far from being charge- 

 able with Defed: of Wifdom and Goodnefs, in forming of Ser- 

 pents, that both as Food and Phyfick^ they, may be equally ira^ 

 prov'd to our Advantage. 



i. 



* Riheyro'sUi^ory o? Ceykay prefented to the King of Po"-'^^ j/, 1^85, 'ranflated 

 omofPorfuguefe into Fre»chy primed azTrevoux, 1701. f Herrera Hift. Vol. ii. 

 p. 1 1. X Raii Sjnopjis, p, '^■!^^''^—Soto rejie^^caro^ue ejus p'O cibo gratijjtv o-ven litun 



