1^5 ANATURAL HISTORY 



like Silver. The Back and Sides iiiuflrated with white Streaks, 

 alternately painted vv'ith Yellow and Azure : the Tongue is of a 

 black Colour, fmall, long, and cloven, and moft nimble in its 

 Vibrations*. 



CXVI. DE Angue-Laqueo^ the Enfnaring- Serpent. In the 

 Province di Vera-Vas^ well: of the Honduras -j they are much in- 

 iedcd with feveral Infecfts, as Mujkettoes^ Fire-Flies^ and Serpent:. 

 Among the laft is one Serpent of great Balk, and excels in Craf- 

 tineis, being very fubtle and Oiarpin laying hold of its Prey. The 

 Method is furprifing ; for it wraps up icfelf in the Form of a 

 <jinn, and fo decoys the Game into the Snare: It bites like a Dog^ 

 and is very mifchievous, tho' not of the venemous Order. Ibid. 



CXVII. THEy?tV/'/i2' Serpent, which they call Cctiaucoatl^ in 

 'Character is Gontradidious; for, as reprefented in HiAory, 'tis 

 dull, and in a manner deflitute ofSenlation, and yet a Creature 

 full of Vitality and Spirit ; and indeed is only remarkable for its 

 Mettle. It is of the Tribe of Innocents, and very ftrong, and 

 fears no Aflault. In Dimenfion, monflrous ; for Thicknefs, equal 

 to a Man's Body, and twice the Length. 'Tis faid, fome have 

 fat upon it, apprehending it to be only the Trunk of an old Tree^ 

 Some other fabulous things are reported of it. 



It lives in the Shadow of Woods, often concealing itfelf un- 

 der Branches and Leaves of Trees, where it furprizes the Prey, 

 which, to fpeak with the Vulgar, it draws to him, by the Force 

 of its Breath, as a Loadftone does Iron. The Authors of the 

 Atlas mention a Serpent of this attradtive Power in the Philips 

 pine JJlands ; Birds and other Animals are drawn into the Trap 

 by the Charms of the Breath; yea. Partridges, Weafels— -are 

 made to run into its devouring Jaws. Ibid. 



\? this Serpent be indued with this magnetic Property, it is a 

 livi77g Loadftone y and more extenfivc in its Attrac^tions than the 

 real one; for this draws all animal Bodies to it, whereas the real 

 Loadftone only attrads Iron. Attra(5lion in the grofs, is fo com- 

 plex a thing, that it may folve a thoufand different things alike. 



This Creature is called Ibitin in America ; and probably the fame 

 with the following, though diftindtly. con iidered by the Hiftorian. 



CXVIIL 



* Nier ember liusy cap. xv. p- 274. 



