OF SERPENTS. 123 



LXXXVII. T o thefe Amerlcam I add the Btellio, which Mr. 

 Ray calls xhQ fwift^ ox [potted Lizard^ whofe Body makes a glo- 

 rious Appearance, by glittering Spots, that when it makes its Pa- 

 rade, looks like a little moveable Firmament of Stars : This Ser- 

 pent is pretty common in Thrace^ Sicily, and Syria *. 



'T I s faid of this Animal, that it cafts its Skin and eats it a- 

 gain ; and if fo, 'tis a proper Emblem of defultory Creatures, 

 who leave their Vices for a time, and return to them afterwards -f-. 



Among Serpents is fuch Variety of charming Colours, and 

 Figures, that if it were not for the natural Antipathy that we 

 have for them, perhaps there is not one thing that the Eye could 

 take greater Delight in. 



Besides the above Lacertick Serpents o^ Brazil, Roche fort%y 

 a French Author, mentions other Serpents different from thefe, 

 which come next under Coniideration. 



LXXXVIII. The Les Amies, a Serpent in bignefs like the 

 Gallick Lizards, but of a longer Head j of a yellow Skin, like a 

 Sun-burnt Roiiffilonite, or the Savage Man in the Ifle of Borneo-, 

 Ruflet Back, channel'd with green j of an afhy or cineraceous 

 Colour ', a boiflerous noify Animal. It's generally in motion by 

 Day, and by Night lodges in hollow places, where it joins with 

 the Brotherhood, in diflurbing the Neighbours with hideous 

 Croakings : by the loudnefs of its Noife, it Iliould feem that it had 

 but an empty Noddle. 



LXXXIX. LES RO^E% a Serpent of a ruddy Colour, 

 intermixed with black and yellow Points ; of fparkling Eyes, and 

 majeflick Mien, walking in a ftately manner with Head ercdl; 

 and Skipping about like a Bird, or a French Bean, who was faid 

 to make a Solecijm with his Hand, when he made a falfe Gefture 

 on the Stage. 



XC. The Maboujas, a word that lignifies a Devil in the In- 

 dian Language, and given to this Serpent, becaufe in its Nature 

 it is moil malignant and mifchievous : It lives in fenny Ground, 



R 2 and 



* Ray^ p. 2.6=^. t Grev/s Cofmologia Sacra. 

 X Htpory of the ^?itilles'ljla7icls 



