X46 A NATURAL FIISTORY 



Cheefe, extrad thePoifon; and fome make ufe of the Rump of 

 a Cock flript of its Feathers, which they apply to the Wound 

 with Succefs, according to the Hiftorian *, 



I N the Library at Manchejler, is the Skin of a Serpent which 

 was five Yards long, as thick as the Calf of a Man's Leg ; has a 

 forked Tongue, fcalySkin, yellow Colour. 



CXXXIII. MARTINIUS in his ^//^j relates, that in the 

 Province of ^langfi in Chinas there are Serpents thirty Foot 

 long. The Flora Sinenfis reports of the Serpent call'd Geuto^^ihdX 

 it devours whole Stags, but is not very venemous. 'Tis ofanafli 

 Colour, from eighteen to twenty-four Foot long ; will often feize 

 on a Man, by leaping from a Tree, and kill him, by its violent 

 windings about him.— The Cbinefe preferve his Gall to cure the 

 Difeafes of the Eyes. — Marcus Paulas Vcnetus teftifies the fame 

 of the Serpents oi Car 7' a jam. — Some are in length ten Paces, in 

 thicknefs ten Palms, and able to fwallow a Man. Are taken thus: 

 The Serpent in the Day lies in Caves of Mountains ; in the Night 

 hunts for Prey, and then returns to its Cave, with the Weight of 

 its Body plowing deep the Earth, being fandy in the Track it 

 goes along : Here the Huntfmen fix flrong Stakes pointed with 

 Iron, covered with Sand 5 and as the Serpent travels along, the 

 Spikes gore its Entrails, and are faften'd therein, by which 'tis 

 kiird ; and the Huntfmen fell the Gall at a great Price for Me- 

 dicine, and the Fkjh for Meat. Thefe, continues he, may be 

 reckon'd among Dragons, but are without Poifon : Inftead of 

 Feet, they haveC!aws like thofe of a Lion or Falcon. — There are 

 other Serpents in China full of rank Poifon,. efpecially the hairy ^ 

 beaded Serpent. So far Martin. 



N. B. Th I s Province 01 ^amji or ^langfi is able to raife a 

 Million of fighting Men. It is not fo much frequented as the 

 Province oi ^antung or Canton^ where they have two Harvefts a 

 Year. One fays, there is a Mountain here Vv^ith a Pool in it, 

 which makes a Noife like Thujider, if a Stone be caft into it, 

 and caufes Showers from the Sky-f-. Their Winter is warm, and 

 their Fields always verdant, producing great Quantities of Gold, 

 Pearl, Silk, Copper, Steel, Iron, Salt, — and odoriferous Woods. — 



They 



* AUrtini D'fcrii^tjon of the Jjle of SkxQj &c. p. 2 3 (J. 

 t Vancirollus. 



