OF SERPENTS. 



This little ftrange Animal afFecfls moift, cold and folitary 

 Habitations. In fome parts of Germany great numbers of them 

 have been found in a Body piled up, one upon another : They 

 are of the oviparous kind, and propagate their Species by Eggs, 

 the common Semen of Fov^ls and Infedls. 



They are Enemies to Frogs and the Tortoife, and feed on 

 little fmall Infedls; and when they have Accefs to Honey and 

 Milk, they never want a Feafb. 



I T is of a poifonous Nature, and many have fufFer'd by its 

 Biting J fo fays Fliny, with whom agree Nicander, AetiuSy and 

 Abenjince. 



GESNER is in a contrary Sentiment, and fays he had do- 

 me'ftick SalamanderSy that offered no violence with their Teeth 

 without Provocation, yonftonus adds, that in Germany there ap- 

 peared no ill EfFed:s of its Bite ; but in France its Wounds were 

 of a moft deadly Nature, as appears by a Saying in that Kingdom, 

 'viz. That a Man bit by a Salamander^ fiould have as many Phy- 

 Jjcians to cure him, as the Salamander has Spots^ which are 

 numerous *. 



The Aquatic Salamander is not very unlike the former, un- 

 lefs it be in Colour and Figure j fome with a Tail turn'd up, 

 others with a flat Tail, prominent in the Middle : There are va- 

 rious forts of them j one of which appears in the form of a Tur- 

 bot, whofe Eggs are as large as Garden-pears. 



When upon Land their Mouth will not open, unlefs it be 

 by Force, or they be caft into a Veflel of Water : When put 

 upon Salt, they move the Tail and die 5 their Skin is clofe com- 

 pacted, and not penetrable by a Sword ; and 'tis faid that Swine's 

 Flefh is Poifon to them -f-. 



The common Report is, that the Salamander is able to live 

 in the Fire, which is a vulgar Error : The Hieroglyphick Hifto- 

 rian obferves, that upon Trial made, it was fo far from quench- 

 ing it, that it confum'd immediately J. It is true, that Newts 

 (or Water-lizards) Frogs, Snails, and fuch icy Animals, will 

 endure the Fire for a longer time than others will, by reafon of 



an 



* — — f(j/ medicts indigete quot macula! bejiia hahetj proverbio jaifant. Jonftonus 

 deQuadrupedibus, p. 137. 



t Jo7ifionus de ^adruped. p. 138. 



X Joannis Pierii Hierogl. cap. 21—26. p. icjj — 5, 7, " 



93 



