5^ 



A NATUPvAL HISTORY 



I T is flow in its morion, and does not leap like other Ser- 

 pents, but is very nimble to bite when provok'd. The Scales un- 

 der the Body refemble that of weli-polifli'd Steel. They appear 

 in divers Colours, yellow, a(h, green ; and others of Lybia, like 

 the Inhabitants, of a blackifh Huej its Front not unlike that of 

 a Hog. 



VIPERS of other Nations, are fuppofed to be larger than 

 the Europcajj, efpecially the Troglodite-Viper *, which is faid to 

 be above fifteen Cubits lone: and the Hiftorian adds, viz. 'That 

 there are no domejiick Vipers. I prefume, he means they are not 

 brought up among the Children of the Family, as Ibme Serpents 

 arc faid to have been; this little venemous Reptile being of a 

 more mifchievous Nature -f-. 



The Viper differs from the Snake in bulk, being not fo large, 

 and their Scales m.ore fliarp, and Head more large: They alfo 

 differ in this, ijiz. Snakes lay their Eggs, twenty, thirty, iixty, 

 and a hundred fometimes, in one Nefl, not quite fo large as that 

 of a Magpye (which are inclofed with a whitifh Skin, but not 

 with Scales) in Dunghills and other warm Situations, where they 

 are hatch'd by adventitious Heat, commonly calPd Adders in this 

 Country; v^hereas Vipers make ufe of their own Matrix, and 

 bring forth live Vipers: Their young ones come forth wrapt up 

 in thin Skins, which break on the third day, and fet the little 

 venemous Creatures at liberty, therefore rank'd among the vivi- 

 parous Animals. 



Their Births are much like young Snigs for Bulk ; they ge- 

 nerally bring forth about twenty young ones, but only one each 

 day. It is obferv'd of the/ Viper, that its Internals are not fetid, 

 like thofe of fome other Serpents, that are intolerable. 



The Eggs of Lizard-Serpents^ vv^liich are fo much efleem'd 

 in the French-1/Iands in America^ are of the lame Size and Figure 

 as thofe of Pigeons, and are generally ufed in all forts of Sauces: 

 When tlie Females lay their Egp;s, they make a Hole in the Sand, 

 and cover tlicm with it, and tlie Keat of the Sun is fufficient to 

 l:atch them t 



ALB ERTUS IS quoted for a Battle between 'a Viper and a 

 Magpye, occafioned by her creeping up in^o a Magpye's Neft, 



and 



* /Elian lie K-Jt. Animal f CnnracLGff,:er. /i'^/?. p. 75. J F.v'.ILi's 



Jourfialofth! Phi!. MaiL mid Bot. Ohf. 



