58 COLUBRIDiE. 



cient privilege of the " Land of Saints," is shewn by the 

 following passage from Bede's "Ecclesiastical History:' 1 — 



" Hibernia autem et latitudine status, et salubritate ac 

 serenitate aerum multum Brittannise prsestat, ita ut rarb 

 ibi nix plusquam triduana remaneat : nemo propter hiemem 

 aut foena secet sestate, aut stabula fabricet jumentis : nul- 

 lum ibi reptile videri soleat, nullus vivere serpens valeat : 

 nam seepe illo de Brittannia adlati serpent es, mox ut proxi- 

 mante terris navigio, odore aeris illius adtacti intereunt : 

 quin potius omnia pen& quse de eadem insula sunt contra ve- 

 nenum valent. Denique vidimus quibusdam a serpente per- 

 cussis, rasa folia codicum qui de Hibernia fuerant, et ipsam 

 rasuram aquae immissam, ac potui datam, talibus protinus 

 totam vim veneni grassantis, totum inflati corporis absum- 

 sisse, ac sedasse tumorem."* 



This species grows to the length of more than three feet, 

 sometimes, though rarely, of four feet. The head is con- 

 siderably depressed, of an elegant ovate form, the back part 

 broader than the neck ; the gape is of the length of the 

 head, and slightly curved, rising posteriorly. The teeth 

 are small, curved backwards, and, as in all the other in- 

 nocuous Snakes, arranged in two series on each side of the 

 jaw both above and below. Plates of the head broad and 

 flat ; labial plates seven. Tongue long, excessively flexible, 

 bifid to about one-third its length. Body very long ; the 



* " Ireland, in breadth, and for wholesomeness and serenity of climate, far 

 surpasses Britain, for the snow scarcely ever lies there above three days ; no man 

 makes hay in the summer for winter's provision, or builds stables for his beasts 

 of burden. No reptiles are found there, and no snake can live there ; for, though 

 often carried thither out of Britain, as soon as the ship comes near the shore, and 

 the scent of the air reaches them, they die. On the contrary, almost all things in 

 the island are good against poison. In short, we have known that, when some 

 persons have been bitten by serpents, the scrapings of leaves of books that were 

 brought out of Ireland being put into water, and given them to drink, have imme- 

 diately expelled the spreading poison, and assuaged the swelling." — Bede's " Ec- 

 clesiastical History," b. i. c. 1, Gileses Tra?isIatio?i. 



