O F S E R P E N T S. 103 



After fwallowing it down, it generally falls afleep, and in that 

 Pofture is frequently taken, while digefting its Supper. My Au- 

 thor fays, he faw one of this kind, which was thirty Foot long, 

 of a greyifli Colour, but others incline more to the brown*: 

 A ravenous Animal, and fo voracious, that it leaps out of the 

 Woods to feize its Prey ; and, ifdifturb'd, will fight, or wreftle, 

 with Man or Beaft, (landing upright upon the Butt-end of his 

 Tail. 



XXXVII. The Jararaka Serpent^ Is another Brajilian, no 

 longer than a Man's Arm to the Elbow ; it has fwelling Veins 

 on its Head 5 the Skin is cover'd with red and black Spots ; the 

 reft is of an earth Colour: Its Wounds are dangerous, and at- 

 tended with the ufual Symptoms. There are three forts of thefe 

 venemous Snakes befides this, viz. One fort is about ten Spans 

 long, with two terrible Tufks, or great Teeth, which they ftretch 

 out to a great length, and ftrike them into their Prey. The vene- 

 mous Liquid, which is very yellow, works with a Violence that 

 kills in a few Hours. Th^fecofid fort refembles the SpaniJJj Viper 

 in Colour and Form, and is equally dangerous. The third and 

 worft fort very much refembles ih^jirji, 



XXXVIII. The Biobi, called Gabro Verde by the Fortugiiefe 

 in Brafil, i. e. the Green Serpent^ becau^fe its Colour is porraceous, 

 a {hining Green like the Leek ; it is between three and four Foot 

 long, and about the thicknefs of a Man's Thumb j a large Mouth, 

 and black Tongue, and has this good Property, that it hurts no- 

 body unlefs irritated ; but when provoked, no Poifon more dan- 

 gerous. We read of a Soldier, who accidentally treading on this 

 Serpent, was wounded by it in the Thigh, and died a few Hours 

 after, tho' the Remedies that proved fuccefsful on the like occa- 

 fions, had been diligently applied -j-. 



XXXIX. The Caninana Serpent^ is another Inhabitant of 

 Brajil^ green on the Back, and yellow on the Belly, about two 

 Foot long, and reckoned not to be fo venemous, as the I'eft of 

 that mifchievous Tribe. It feeds upon Eggs and Birds, at laft be- 

 comes the common Entertainment of the American and African 



Tables. 



* Nietihijf. hi Atl. America^ P-^^l- t Baii Sjtiopfsj p. 32^; 



