83 A NATURAL HISTORY 



llain, not by the Polfon, but tbe Violence of its Blow * : Pro- 

 bably on the lateral part of the Scull. 



Authors are not agreed about its Dimenfions. Ambrojinus 

 fpeaking of one he had feen in the Bonomaii Miifaiim^ fays, 'tis- 

 about the thicknefs of a Staff, and about three Foot long : It is 

 found in Egypt, its Wounds are dreadful, being attended with 

 Putrefadion and Defluxion of the FleHi* 



Th A T which Bellonius faw, was three Palms long, or fixteen 

 Inches and a Finger's Breadth. A^. B. Palmus flands for two dif- 

 ferent Meafures; Palmus major contains twelve Fingers j Palmus 

 minor, four Inches. 



It lies in wait under Bulhes, from whence it ruflies out una- 

 wares, and flies like an Arrow at Paflengers : Before it leaps at 

 the Prey, it lies on the Ground, and turns itfelf round, to give 

 the greater fpring to the Motion, by which fhe'U do execution 

 at twenty Cubits diftance -f*. 



These nimble Leapers are found among the Weft- Indians , 

 efpecially in Hifpaniola, where there are little Serpents in green 

 Apparel, that hang by the Tail on the Branches, from whence 

 they fuddenly leap upon their Prey. Among the ^abcsans are 

 fome cloathed in red, four Inches long, that thus leap upon Men 

 unawares ; and hurt, not only by ftriking, but touching. 



This Serpent refembles the Afli in Colour, inclining to the 

 white. It traverfes the Libyan Provinces, where it makes travel- 

 ling dangerous : It is alfo found in the Ifland of Rhodes ; an Ifland 

 on which, the Poets tell us, Golden Showers are rairid, and where 

 the Air is never fo clouded, as to hinder the Light of the Sun.. 

 It appears alfo in Norway^ according to Olaus Magnus. 



One tells us, that he was inform'd by one John Vitus, a 

 learned Hungarian, that there were in that Country little Serpents 

 about fix Inches long, and without a Tail, therefore called by the 

 Vulgar, the curtail d Serpent, the whole Body is much of an- 

 equal thicknefs ; and thefe, upon View of their Prey, leap upon 



it with the Swiftnefs of an Arrow J. 



* immifit (jaculum vocat Africa,) ferpens 



Perquc caput Pauli tranfadta tempora fugit 

 Nil ibi virus egit : rapuit cum vulnere t'acum. 



Lucajii Fharfalia, lib. ix. p=..273« 

 t Jo7ipoms, D. 20, XI' % Conrad. Gefner. i» Verbutn. 



XVL 



