92 



A NATURAL HISTORY 



of War, makes diredly at the Enemy, without dread of Confc- 

 quences. 



I N the Hiftory oi Peru, an Account is given of a young Wo^ 

 man who was wounded by a Rattle- fnake, and died on the Spot, 

 before any Relief could be had j and when they came to take up 

 the Corpfc, the Flefh came off her Bones ; fo fpeedily did the 

 violence of the Pcifon diffolve the flrudture of the Body. 



The method of killing this Snake, is thus given by Captain 

 Silas Taylor, viz. Of the Leaves of Dittany of Virginia {i. e. 

 wild Penny royal) bruis'd, we took, fays he, and having faften'd 

 them at the end of a cloven Stick, we held it to the Nofe of the 

 Rattle-Jhake, who by turning and wriggling, laboured hard to avoid 

 it; but was kill'd with it in lefs than half an Hour's time, and as 

 is fuppofed by the meer Scent of that Vegetable *. This was done, 

 A. D. 1657, in July, at which Seafon thofe Creatures are re- 

 puted to be in the greateft Vigour for their Poifon : It is alfo re- 

 markable, that in thofe Places where this wild Penny-royal 

 grows, none of thefe Snakes are obferved to come -f*. 



The bruifed Leaves of the Virginian Dittany are very hot, and 

 biting upon the Tongue : Probably the ftrong Smell of it might 

 flop the Paffages of Refpiration in thofe Animals, or ferment 

 with the Blood, fo as to fuffocate them. In Grefiam College at 



London may be feen fifteen Skins of Rattle-fnakes checker'd 



Some appear in Afh-colour : Several Rattles of thofe Snakes, 

 mofl of them compofed of above ten Joints. 



XXVIII. The Salamander is an amphibious Serpent, very 

 much fpotted ; fuperior in Bulk to common Lizards. 



The Land-Salamander is a little poifonous Reptile, that re- 

 fembles the green Lizard, but more grofs in Body ; and is found 

 in Germany and other Places. 



CONRADVS Gefner fays he faw one of 'em on the Alps 

 perfedly black, with a fhort Tail : When wounded, a kind of 

 milky Liquid runs out. In Germany are feveral great Woods, 

 where black Salamanders have been i^tw 3 lefte Matthiolo %. 



This 



* "Regnauh, vol. ii. from Journ. des Scav. \666) p. 113. Leivthorfs Abridg. of 

 Philof. Tranfad. vol. ii. p. 811. f Uid. 



X Jonjionus de ^adruped:bus^ p. 137. 



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